Previous News Highlights

Des Moines Register, February 15, 2009
Featured employer: ACT, Inc.: ACT, Inc. is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides more than a hundred assessment, research, information, and program management services in the broad areas of education and workforce development.; ACT provides educational and workforce solutions for elementary and secondary schools, colleges, professional associations, businesses, and government agencies, nationally and internationally through offices located across the globe.; ACT supports causes such as: United Way, Project Holiday, Big Brother Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake, Heart Walk, Relay for Life, blood drives and disaster-relief donations. ACT is also one of the founders and corporate sponsors of Diversity Focus in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids Corridor.
The Beacon Journal, February 12, 2009
Governor visits Springfield: In an education reform plan presented by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, students will be required to take the ACT assessment in place of the Ohio State Graduation Test given in past years.; “I don’t believe that any young person at the stage of life before they even finish high school should have a life-changing decision made about them based on the results of a single standardized test,” he said. “We want every young person in Ohio to take the ACT, and it will be provided at no cost to them or their parents.”; This proposal is a part of Strickland’s “evidence-based” approach to prepare Ohio’s children for success in college, in the workplace, and in life. During a question–and- answer session at Springfield High School, Strickland announced his proposal to eliminate the state’s yearly exit exam and complete other requirements, including community service and end-of-class exams.; “We want multiple ways of letting a young person demonstrate what it was that they learned, not just a single test,” Strickland said.; Among other reforms Strickland is proposing are longer school days, mandatory all-day kindergarten, and four-year residency programs in schools for new teachers. He also plans to introduce more courses focused on global awareness, life skills, cultural awareness, media literacy, leadership and productivity.; “These are the skills our business leaders look for in the people they hire. These are the skills we find in people who create jobs, create products, and create entirely new industries.”
The Vindicator, January 29, 2009
Governor’s speech focuses on education
Diverse Issues in Higher Education, January 27, 2009
Fewer college students returning for second year: According to research conducted by ACT, college retention is declining among freshmen at four-year institutions across the nation, while enrollment is increasing at two-year public colleges.; A total of 66 percent of first-year college students returned to the same institution for their second year of college in the 2007–2008 academic year, the lowest percentage since 1989. This figure is down from 68 percent in 2006–2007 and 69 percent in 2005–2006.; "The recent trends are troubling, particularly in light of increasing efforts among colleges to retain students," said Wes Habley, ACT's principal associate, who has been conducting these analyses since 1983. "They suggest that more students may be opting out of college during or after their first year."; "There likely are economic factors at play," said Habley. "With the rising cost of attending college and uncertainty about the U.S. economy, students may believe they can't afford a second year at a four-year school. More students may be planning to complete two years at a community college, while others may be opting to stay at a two-year school rather than transfer to a more expensive four-year college."