York Juniors Show Rise In First ACT Testing

ACT intervention showing positive results at York Institute with better than 39 percent of juniors scoring a 21 or higher on the first test.

Director of Schools John Bush said a 21 is a key number to help with scholarships. The statewide junior ACT exam just completed, Bush said they will go to work trying to improve scores before the fall testing begins.

Bush said the school has implemented four distinct programs to try to improve ACT scores. That includes the ACT Boot Camp which provides students individualized instruction. Bush said the faculty is discussing ways to expand that effort.

“We’re really thinking about doing something even greater with it so that we can instead of students just waiting to their junior and senior year to start focusing on these remediations, we’re thinking serious about doing this school wide on Tuesdays and Thursdays for every student next year,” Bush said. “So our boot camp, we’re thinking about expanding it.”

Bush said they continue to use the boot camps in different ways to try for the best results. He said the school is also using pre-tests in an effort to determine where students might be deficient. Bush said there is no “magic bullet” to getting ACT scores to rise, but rather multiple efforts together which make an impact.

For the rising senior class, Bush said he wants to see 55 percent or better of the student population meet the 21 mark. He said students usually see signifcant growth between the first two tests.

“If we do that, we will be, I would say definitely in the top 15 percent of high schools in the state of Tennessee,” Bush said. “Again, not where we want to be, but definitely direction we’re wanting to grow towards.”

Last year, York Institute received recognition for the state’s biggest rise in 21-plus on the ACT test.

“These kids have taken this very seriously and it reflects the hard work that so many of our teachers have poured into these students,” Bush said. “So, just a great team effort all the way around for York Institute.”