Michigan Joins Ranks of States Offering the ACT to All

“Whether high school seniors are entering college or the workplace after graduation, they need a test that measures how prepared they are for Michigan’s 21st century economy,” said state Sen. Wayne Kuipers, who sponsored the original legislation in the state senate. “This change gives students and their parents a strong reason to take the test seriously. We want to use a standardized test that students can use to apply to college instead of one that is used only by the state.”

The new test implements a key recommendation of a state commission charged by Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm with finding ways to double the number of college graduates in Michigan.

“To compete in a global economy, our students must continue their education beyond high school,” Granholm said. “To make this expectation a reality, we must give students the tools they need to succeed, including the opportunity to take a college entrance exam.”

The decision makes Michigan the third state to require all high school students to take the ACT. Colorado and Illinois both began administering the ACT to all eleventh graders in 2001. The results have been encouraging. Thousands of students in Colorado and Illinois who said they did not plan to go to college earned ACT scores that suggested they were, in fact, prepared for college-level coursework. Many of them ended up enrolling in college. Illinois credits its program with sending to college 15 percent of the students who originally had no intention of going.

“Based on the experience of other states, changing our high school assessment is a win-win for Michigan and our students,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. “Not only are we removing one of the financial barriers for many students as they prepare for college, but we likely will see an increase in the number of students who choose to continue their education beyond high school.”

After taking the MME, students will receive an ACT score they can use to apply for college admission; several MME reports that show them how well they have mastered the state standards; and reports from the two WorkKeys assessments, Applied Math and Reading for Information.

ACT’s WorkKeys assessments measure the foundational skills required by employers.

“One of the biggest complaints by employers is that students are graduating from school without some of the essential skills needed for the workplace,” said ACT Assistant Vice President for Educational Services Paul Weeks. “The two WorkKeys assessments in the Michigan Merit Exam test a student’s ability to read and use math in a workplace setting, which should be valuable to all students. Whether students intend to go to college or not, nearly everyone eventually ends up in the workplace and needs to have these skills.”

Students will not have to pass the MME to graduate, but the state will use the scores to determine who receives its $2,500 scholarships. Results also will be used to fulfill state obligations for high school testing under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.