Spearman urges students to prepare for ACTs

This week state Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman called on teachers, parents and students to prepare for the new, timed ACT tests that will be administered across the State April 28-30:

I am proud of the innovation and collaboration I have seen during my visits to schools throughout South Carolina. We are fostering a culture of teamwork and a love of learning, and I want to encourage everyone to keep up the great work.

This month, we’re administering ACT Aspire to all students in grades three through eight. For students in the 11th grade, they will take a college readiness exam and a work force readiness test: The ACT and WorkKeys. These exams will provide important feedback to teachers and parents in the areas students are strong in, and areas where they need support.

For high school students, WorkKeys will show them if they have the foundational skills that leaders in the business community want from their employees. Gov. Nikki Haley, our Department of Commerce, members of the General Assembly and business men and women from around the state have done a wonderful job recruiting industry to South Carolina. We are creating thousands of good-paying jobs. WorkKeys is an indicator of whether our high school students are ready to take on these highly-skilled positions.

I am proud to launch a public service announcement video this week. We have created a Web page with resources for parents and students, and we are using social media to spread awareness about these new tests. I encourage all parents and students to study, work hard, and prepare for these new, timed tests.

I am also taking this opportunity to evaluate the testing requirements in South Carolina. I agree that we need accountability and tests. However, I also believe that it’s time to evaluate what kinds of tests we’re giving to students – and more importantly – how many, so we can develop a fair system that balances the need for testing with a passion for learning.

This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Spearman urges students to prepare for ACTs."