2013 Pathways to the Prize - School Winners

Pathways to the Prize Lessons from the 2011 SCORE Prize School Winners Pathways to the Prize Lessons from the 2011 SCORE Prize School Winners ACT. The ACT is a standardized assessment for high school students frequently required for admission into college. The test has sections in English, mathematics, reading, science reasoning, and an optional written essay. Scored on a scale from one to 36, the test is intended to be an indicator of college readiness. The subjects align with common college introductory courses in English composition, the social sciences, college algebra, and biology. All 11th graders in Tennessee are required to take this exam. that were developed by state leaders to ensure that every student graduates high school prepared for college or the workforce, regardless of the state in which they live. Common Core standards are internationally benchmarked, and are designed to promote critical thinking and depth of understanding of course content. The initiative is led by the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and Achieve. International Baccalaureate (IB). International Baccalaureate ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks. The ACT College AR LOSS Y OF T G ER M S Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum exam scores determined by ACT, Inc. to signal a student’s preparedness to succeed in firstyear, credit-bearing courses at a postsecondary institution. These benchmarks—which are based on a nationally representative sample of 98 institutions and more than 90,000 students— are intended to give meaning to the numeric score and help students, parents, teachers, and counselors link high school preparation to college readiness. An English score of 18 and a reading score of 21 indicate a student would have a high probability of success in an English composition or social sciences course. Similarly, a math score of 22 and a science score of 24 illustrate a similarly high potential of success in a college algebra or biology class. ACT has determined additional college readiness benchmarks for the EXPLORE and PLAN tests. Advanced Placement (AP). Advanced Placement courses are courses offered by the College Board that provide students with an opportunity to take college-level courses and earn credit towards college while in high school. There are more than 30 different AP courses across multiple subject areas. Attendance rates. All schools and districts are required to submit student attendance rates to the Tennessee Department of Education. An attendance rate of 93 percent and 90 percent or higher is needed to fulfill the state’s adequate yearly progress (AYP) requirement for elementary/middle and high 66

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