Our Kiel district has increased ACT test scores for four consecutive years. Here's how we did it.
In Wisconsin, the ACT test is used as a measuring instrument to determine if students are ready for post-high school education, including two- and four-year colleges, technical schools and other institutions. This is done by testing students at the end of their 11th-grade year in math, reading, writing, English, English language arts, science and STEM.
School districts across the state continuously plan for and discuss ways to improve student achievement as it relates to this measuring tool.
In Wisconsin, the ACT test is required to be administered to all students, which is not the case in every state.
In Kiel Area School District, this means students at Kiel High School, Kiel eSchool, Kiel Greater Options program, as well as students with disabilities and unique needs are all tested in mid-March.
Four years ago, Kiel Area School District staff, including teachers, administrators, managerial staff and school board members, were faced with a question many school districts in the state face: How does a school district reverse a downward trend in ACT scores?
The answer to this question has multiple levels and multiple layers.
Kiel Area School District revised its strategic plan with learning goals focused on student achievement, which encompassed the ACT test.
The most recent strategic plan was upgraded with input from teachers, support staff, community members, parents, board members and students. The plan called for an improved testing culture, revised learning targets, targeted test preparation, data collection and review, grade-level challenges, practice tests and analysis, incentives, individual goal meetings with students, and handwritten notes to students from staff, all in an attempt to improve student achievement.
Kiel school board members Tammie Stahl, Tony Johannes, Stuart Long, Karin Wille, Dan Meyer and Jim Bajczyk, as well as a number of other past board members, were encouraging, provided resources, approved professional development opportunities, and trusted and took care of their staff and showed support; all critical to improvement.
Because of the aforementioned work, the Kiel Area School District is recognizing and celebrating the hard work of its students (see data trends below), but is also recognizing the efforts of teachers, support staff and administrators, including those who support the mental health of students, feed students, supervise students, show up to events to support students, and are positive and encouraging of all students and the school district.
Because of this effort, Kiel Area School District has seen marked improvement over the last four years.
Following are the overall positive ACT trend scores for the Kiel Area School District:
Cumulative final scores trend:
2020-2021: 17.8
2021-2022: 19.3
2022-2023: 19.9
2023-2024: 20.3
Math trend:
2020-2021: 17.3
2021-2022: 18.7
2022-2023: 19.4
2023-2024: 20.1
Science trend:
2020-2021: 19.2
2021-2022: 20.6
2022-2023: 20.4
2023-2024: 21.1
Reading trend:
2020-2021: 18.3
2021-2022: 19.6
2022-2023: 19.9
2023-2024: 20.1
Writing trend:
2020-2021: 5.4
2021-2022: 5.5
2022-2023: 6.4
2023-2024: 6.7
English Language Arts:
2020-2021: 16.0
2021-2022: 17.1
2022-2023: 19.1
2023-2024: 19.3
In addition to these positive trends, Seth Allen, a Kiel High School student, scored a perfect 36 on the test, which is accomplished by only one fourth of 1% of all students taking the test.
Dr. Brad Ebert is the district administrator for the Kiel Area School District. Follow the district on X: @Kielareaschools.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Kiel school district in Wisconsin: How it increased ACT test scores