Yesterday, ACT, Inc. recognized a business, a community/technical college, a public high school, and a Lafayette H. S. senior as positive examples of the state's commitment to college- and career-readiness. One might say, it was the least they could do.
Kentucky's choice of the ACT's EPAS series of tests (including Explore, Plan and ACT) to project whether a student is college- or career-ready must have warmed the heart of Jon
Whitmore, chief executive officer of ACT who congratulated the Kentuckians, but seemed to be focused on the number of states who use his products. “More exciting
is that each state announcement is just one component of a campaign
that will highlight college and career readiness efforts across the
education and workforce continuum,” he said.
Department of Education officials shared the information below with KSN&C outlining the state's portion of ACT's education business - not counting the additional business done with each of Kentucky's school districts - according to current contracts for fiscal year
2013 and fiscal year 2014. (These contracts are available in their
entirety at www.opendoor.ky.gov
using the ‘contract search’ option, and searching in the vendor
category for ‘ACT, Inc.’ Tests are purchased on a per unit basis for each
student taking
the respective exam).
1. End of Course Assessments for English II, Algebra II, Biology and U.S. History
Total Biennial Contract Amount – Not to exceed $12,956,920 (FY2013 - $5,654,140, FY2014 - $7,302,780)Actual Expenditures for FY2012 - $4,479,7832. Explore, Plan, and ACT –
Total Biennial Contract Amount – Not to exceed $5,500,000 (FY2013 - $2,650,000, FY2014 - $2,850,000)Actual Expenditures for FY2012 - $2,469,496.193. The KDE also purchases WorkKeys assessments, a job skills assessment, from ACT for approximately $100,000 per fiscal year.
This from KDE Press release:
Business,
community college, high school and student singled out for outstanding efforts
Governor Steve
Beshear and Education Commissioner Terry Holliday teamed up with ACT, Inc.
today to celebrate Kentucky’s progress toward the goal of college- and
career-readiness for all students and recognize those who embody or advance the
state’s commitment to preparing students for success.
“From
preschool to career, getting students ready to take the next step is vital not
only to their future but Kentucky’s future,” said Gov. Beshear. “Our ability to
create and maintain an energetic and highly trained workforce depends on that
preparation. Education is the single-biggest factor in determining
long-term success for our state – whether success is defined by the quality of
life for our people, the stability of our economy, or the competitive strength
of our business sector,” Gov. Beshear said.
The event was part of
the ACT College and Career Readiness Campaign that celebrates achievement and
creates awareness around the goal of college and career readiness for all.
Kentucky is one of
seven states (others are Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina and
Wisconsin) invited to participate in the national campaign’s inaugural year.
Commissioner Holliday
said the Kentucky Board of Education’s ‘Unbridled Learning: College/
Career-Readiness for All’ initiative is the department’s top priority.
“By
gaining the knowledge and skills they will need in college, postsecondary
training, military or the workplace, students can be confident they will be
successful whatever path they choose,” he said. “We appreciate the efforts of
the Governor, and our many other our partners in helping us make progress
toward our goal.”
In 2010, only 34
percent of students in Kentucky graduated from high school ready for college/career. By 2012, that number had risen to
47 percent, Holliday said.
As part of its
campaign, today, ACT recognized Kentuckians who demonstrate exemplary college
and career readiness efforts. They were selected based on a variety of criteria
by a state committee representing business, education and government.
Kentucky’s
winners are:
· Citi, Workplace
Success Award – Education is a major focus of Citi’s philanthropic efforts,
business programs and employee volunteer efforts. Citi (Florence, KY), employs
nearly 2,200 people in the northern Kentucky area.
· Hazard Community and
Technical College (HCTC), Career Preparedness Award –Many of HCTC’s
incoming students live in poverty and do not meet statewide benchmarks for
taking credit-bearing courses. Yet, the college retains students, promotes
success and realizes transfers to 4-year institutions at higher rates than
predicted from entering test scores.
· Murray High School
(Murray Independent), College and Career Transition
Award –Murray High School
has 444 students and performs in the top four percent of all Kentucky high
schools. The school had no dropouts last year, and graduates of the 2012 class
have all successfully transitioned to college, vocational training, or the
military.
· Devin O’Neil Morton, Student
Readiness Award –A senior at Lafayette High School (Fayette Co.), Devin is
an excellent student, an active member of the French Club, Beta Club and Mu
Alpha Theta mathematics honor society.
“We are excited to
stand with states to recognize leaders in advancing or embodying successful
readiness for college and career,” said Jon Whitmore, chief executive officer
of ACT. “More exciting is that each state announcement is just one component of
a campaign that will highlight college and career readiness efforts across the
education and workforce continuum.”
A national selection
committee comprised of education and workforce development leaders will review
all state recipients and select one honoree per category for national
recognition.
Recipients will be recognized at the ACT National Gala on College
and Career Readiness in Washington, D.C. May 21.
1 comment:
You look at the cuts in school support, staffing and facilities and then compare that to the millions of dollars being spent on once a year tests and you can't help wondering how the commish and KDE can even show their face, much less brag.
Embarrassing that there is such a lack of perception and so much self righeousness at Frankfort.
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