Policy Publications
Policy Reports
2011
A Better Measure of Skills Gaps
This report proposes a simple definition to describe the increasing mismatch between labor market supply and demand in America and sets forth detailed and specific measures to analyze skills gaps in four major industry sectors.
The Condition of College and Career Readiness 2011
Using ACT® test scores and the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, the Condition of College & Career Readiness reports provide national and state snapshots of the college and career readiness of the graduating seniors of the class of 2011 who took the ACT in high school.
Affirming the Goal: Is College and Career Readiness an Internationally Competitive Standard?
This report examines how performance standards in reading and math on PLAN® compare to performance on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a worldwide assessment of 15-year-old students' academic achievement.
Breaking New Ground: Building a National Workforce Skills Credentialing System
This report introduces the need and associated benefits for establishing a national workforce credentialing system, as we know of no other set of activities more important than getting a critical mass of state, national, and public and private workforce leaders to co-construct this foundational framework to address our national workforce challenges.
Issue Briefs
2012
Do Race/Ethnicity-based
Student Achievement Gaps Grow Over Time? (PDF; 700KB, 10 pages)
This brief investigates race/ethnicity-based growth in achievement gaps for ACT-tested 2011 high school graduates.
2011
Defining Credentials for the Public Workforce System (PDF; 88KB, 9 pages)
This paper outlines how the National Career Readiness Certificate meets the definition of "credential" as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration's Training and Employment Guidance Letter 15-10.
2010
What Are ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks? (PDF; 57KB, 3 pages)
ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum ACT test scores required for students to have a high probability of success in credit-bearing college courses—English Composition, social sciences courses, Algebra, or Biology.
The Advanced Placement Program Benefits Mainly Well-Prepared Students Who Pass AP Exams
This brief, a summary of recent research by ACT's National Center for Educational Achievement, shows that having more students enrolled in AP courses does not necessarily mean more students having success in college.
Case Studies
2010
“You Can Go to College”: Foster High School (PDF; 113KB, 14 pages)
This case study highlights the achievements and advancements made by Foster High School, a Texas school with a substantial enrollment of minority students, and the policies and practices that have contributed to these achievements.
2009
Readiness and Success: Statewide Implementation of EXPLORE and PLAN (PDF; 107KB, 13 pages)
EXPLORE®, PLAN®, and the ACT® allow teachers, counselors, and students to track academic progress from eighth through twelfth grades on skills directly related to college preparation.
Statewide Administration of the ACT: A Key Component in Improving Student Access to College and Work (PDF; 107KB, 13 pages)
Statewide administration of the ACT provides all students, including those who have never considered college as an option, with the opportunity to identify academic strengths and weaknesses, explore educational and career interests, set high standards for academic achievement, and prepare to meet their educational and career goals.
