The task force applied for and was selected to become an SAT/ACT test site. 

“Our purpose is to identify and propose educational practices within Dublin City Schools that provide opportunity and access for ALL students to become college ready,” said Director of Data, Assessment, and Program Evaluation Jamie Meade.

The college readiness task force consists of central office administrators and high school staff members.

“This is a positive development for our college bound seniors,” said Superintendent Dr. David Axner. “Taking these extremely important tests in a familiar environment should positively impact results. I would like to commend the task force for this rapid accomplishment.” 

The task force convened in August and set goals for the 2009-10 school year. The goals are:

1. Increase opportunities for students to take ACT and SAT on-site within a Dublin City Schools high school. UPDATE: The ACT will be administered on Dec. 12 at Dublin Scioto, on Feb. 6 (tentative) at Dublin Coffman and June 12 (tentative) at Dublin Jerome. The SAT will be administered on Jan. 23, 2010 at Dublin Scioto, May 1, 2010, at Dublin Coffman, and November 2010 (specific date TBD) at Dublin Jerome.

“The ACT and SAT exams are high stakes tests for students,” Meade said. “They directly relate to college acceptance, scholarships, and overall college readiness.The opportunity to take a college entrance exam with your peers, in a familiar environment can offset test anxiety and allow students to perform their best. This is also an issue of convenience for our Dublin families.”

2. Administer full length ACT practice test to all juniors. UPDATE: This test will be administered at all three high schools on Nov. 18. 

3. Increase teacher professional development opportunities in regard to college readiness. UPDATE: The first step toward meeting this goal took place on Sept. 25, one of two full professional development days this school year. Teachers from all three high schools reviewed a full-length ACT in their respective content areas.

4. Increase student preparation opportunities. UPDATE: The task force continues to evaluate ways in which ALL students have the opportunity to be successful on college readiness assessments, while also evaluating ways in which college readiness skills must be embedded into the school day.

5. Increase PSAT participation among underclassmen. UPDATE: About 550 underclassmen took the PSAT in October, compared with about 200 in 2008.

6. Survey students to learn more about obstacles for college readiness preparation and participation. UPDATE: This will take place in the spring of 2010.

About 75%?of the class of 2009 took the ACT, while 45% took the SAT. Statewide, approximately 65% of Ohio students took the ACT and 24% took the SAT

“Our students’ performance on college entrance exams impacts not only where they may be accepted to college, but high scores may also translate to thousands of dollars in scholarship opportunities,” Axner said. 

More than 80 percent of the current freshman class at The Ohio State University earned at least a 26 on their ACT exam, and more than 94 percent of the entire class earned at least a 24 composite score. The most competitive scholarship offers are awarded to students who scored a minimum of a 27 on their ACT.

The standards for not only scholarships, but college entrance itself continue to rise. Dublin City Schools is committed to providing our students with the opportunity to compete with students from around the country.