Standardized tests can be extremely high-stake exams, playing a critical role in one’s admission to college and often requiring extensive preparation. The tests, however, can also cost a significant sum of money. On Wednesday, April 27, the Junior Class took a mandatory free ACT, which is planned to be offered again next year.
“It was an overall success,” Principal Dr. Greg Mathison said. “Less than 20 juniors were absent on that day which is just incredible.”
Mathison said the test administration went smoothly with limited disturbances.
“[Teachers] did a great job planning this event out,” Dr. Mathison said. “The staff did a great job too. They had great patience and did a great job of keeping students on track during procedure.”
Assistant Principal Dr. Jennifer Sebold helped plan the event. Sebold said the district chose to offer the ACT rather than the SAT due to the widespread acceptance of the ACT in midwest schools.
“When you look at our college posters you can see that most of our students graduate to some midwest school,” Dr. Sebold said. “You only need the SAT if you go to a coast school.”
Dr. Sebold said the testing cost the district $80,000. Parkway was the only other Missouri district to provide the free testing.
Because taking the ACT was mandatory for all juniors, Dr. Mathison said he expects the average ACT score to “dip” but still remain well above the national average.
Dr. Sebold said the planning for the event started in April of last year. Previous plans for the location of the testing included placing the juniors in both gyms and the Theater. She ultimately decided to section off a portion of the school for the testing juniors.
“We haven’t had a big reflective meeting yet with the other schools, but it went very well here at MHS,” Dr. Sebold said. “The test will most likely be offered next year.”
Students tended to like the free testing as well. In a Messenger survey, 16 percent said they didn’t like the mandatory exam. Many of those who did not approve of the exam cited frustrations with being forced to take it, but Samantha Wilkinson, junior, said she was unhappy with how the test did not include the optional writing portion.
“It would have been more beneficial if it offered a choice of with or without writing,” Wilkinson said.
Dr. Sebold said the district chose not to offer the writing portion due to financial and time restraints.
“The writing portion makes it longer and we have to arrange a time where the students can still eat lunch,” Dr. Sebold said. “It also costs more.”
Regardless, students did appreciate being offered a free ACT.
“I like [the ACT] because it was free,” Danielle Okenfuss, junior, said. “You have to take it anyways and it took up the whole school day.”