During the 2003–04 academic year, ACT teamed with The Education Trust on a study, On Course for Success, to determine the courses, level of rigor, and instructional practices most likely to lead to student success. The study focused on high schools producing graduates who are meeting or exceeding ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks in proportions greater than those seen nationally.
Researchers identified college-ready students and examined their coursework and teachers. They surveyed the teachers about their experience, teaching philosophy, and practices, and examined lesson plans and instructional materials. They interviewed and observed the teachers in their classrooms. Next, the team collected data from a wider sample of high-performing high schools nationwide.
The study team's analyses provided the foundation for QualityCore's program components. Course objectives deemed essential by a majority of teachers became the basis for the test specifications of the end-of-course assessments. Course syllabi, course descriptions, course content, pacing charts, and instructional materials informed the development of model syllabi for QualityCore courses.
The QualityCore educator's resources, which are aligned to the objectives and the end-of-course assessments, reflect ACT's vision of rigorous high school courses. All were created in collaboration with practicing, well-qualified high school teachers: experienced classroom teachers, published in professional journals, recipients of educational awards.