Putnam Schools Set To Have CERT Program At All Middle And High Schools

Putnam County Schools is set to have the ACT CERT program at all middle and high schools.

CERT stands for College Equipped Readiness Tool and is a standardized assessment used to prepare students for ACT testing. 9th through 12th Grade Curriculum Supervisor Dr. Bubba Winningham said that the program collects data that could help students improve scores.

“One of the things that we really like about CERT here in Putnam County is that it also relates to the Tennessee academic standards,” Winningham said.”So if the test they take in CERT they need practice on a certain academic standard, it relates it back to that and gives teachers tools to help students.”

Those tools include smaller programs or videos to use in the classroom that teachers can assign students to do individually. Winningham said little mini activities in the subject students need to work on can go a long way in improving their scores.

Winningham said the CERT program acts similarly to the PSAT. He said that parents can help students see more success in scoring by talking positively about the importance of taking the ACT and doing well.

“Anything that we provide before the ACT to help students with the ACT is just as important,” Winningham said. “The day that we get from CERT will only help students and parents, and parents talking to their students about what it will be like when they take the ACT. ”

Winningham said that the CERT day will mimic a school-wide standardized testing day. He said that middle schools will give it to 7th and 8th graders, and all the high schools will take it.