News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Economically disadvantaged students at Warren County High School increased their ACT scores by 18.8 percent from last year.
In 2022, only 8.7 percent of disadvantaged students met the ACT benchmark of 21. This year 27.5 percent of disadvantage students reached that goal. Director of Warren County Schools Grant Swallows said the school was focused on stressing the importance of the ACT to all students this year.
“We test our kids so much in every area of their school life,” Swallows said. “It sometimes can become numbing to them. So, helping them first of all understand the importance of it.”
Swallows said the school has an advisory class that meets twice a week school wide where they go through ACT prep. He said the focus on all students carried over to economically disadvantaged students.
“When I was in high school 20 years ago, people that were going to college were taking the ACT, and those that maybe weren’t deciding to go to a four-year university weren’t going to take it, but it’s now a state requirement that all students take it,” Swallows said.
Swallows said his teachers were to thank for putting in the work to teach students that the ACT matters.
“They really worked hard to try to make sure that we are focusing on the ACT,” Swallows said. “Helping kids understand the importance of taking that exam. It’s nationally known as the college acceptance, and so they worked really hard to try and help them understand that, and I think that’s certainly shown in the number in increase.”
The state recognized Warren County’s achievement in reporting ACT scores statewide last week. Moving forward, Swallows said he plans to keep focusing on teaching students the importance of the ACT.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Grant said. “You make progress one year, and you want to keep making progress. So, were just going to keep making sure that these kids understand the importance of it every year.”
