ACT

Join us at the ACT Workforce Summit, Oct. 2-4 in Atlanta, to hear from LaShana Lewis, a trailblazer for the tech industry and champion for inclusivity. As a role model for diversity in the technology industry, she worked with President Obama’s administration as part of the nationwide TechHire initiative to encourage employers to hire and train people with nontraditional tech backgrounds. Her keynote will highlight her inspiring story as an individual skilled through alternative routes (STAR) and how she overcame barriers in the tech industry. She will also discuss the importance of collaborations like ACT Work Ready Communities in creating pathways to success for all. Learn more about our lineup of incredible speakers: https://bit.ly/3WFjADX #Workforce #WorkforceDevelopment #Educators #CareerReadiness #WorkplaceSuccess #TearThePaperCeiling #HireSTARs

We’re less than a week away from the 2024 National ACT State Organizations Virtual Conference, Aug. 14-15. Learn cutting-edge best practices from national experts across education and workforce segments, all focused on helping people achieve education and career success. Presenters include: - State-level administrators from departments of education, higher education, and workforce and economic development. - Postsecondary enrollment and admissions managers. - Research authorities on cutting-edge education and workforce practices. - K-12 administrators and educators in curriculum, counseling, and instruction. - Business leaders in talent acquisition and skill-building strategy. View the full agenda and register: https://bit.ly/3ysSUOV

In collaboration with Education Commission of the States, join us for a webinar with leaders from Minnesota and Wyoming who will share successful state initiatives that ensure all students have access to technology and quality connectivity. Join us to learn actionable policy considerations for addressing digital divides and increasing access for students in your own state. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ekajGfsJ #DigitalDivide #EdTech #StudentSuccess #HigherEd

🎙On a new episode of the ACT Ready for Work podcast, Tracy Robinson joined us at the ACT Workforce Summit to share how The University of Memphis is working with adult learners to address their needs in the workforce and the challenges they face in balancing education with other responsibilities. Listen: https://lnkd.in/eJDsMn-J #Workforce #WorkforceSummit #CareerReadiness

School leaders at Timberlake High School achieved something incredible. Through dedicated support and personalized guidance, they inspired 100% of their senior class to submit at least one college application during the 2023 American College Application Campaign (ACAC) cycle. The school was recognized this year for its achievement as one ACAC’s 27 School of Excellence awardees. In a new blog, ACAC Director Lisa Sommer King writes about the strategies Timberlake’s counselors used to encourage many first-generation seniors and students from low-income backgrounds to pursue higher education. “Timberlake's college application campaign ensured that every single senior now has the option to attend a two- or four-year college,” she said. “Having options is powerful and allows students to make the best decision for their future,” said Jenni Kimball, former ACAC state coordinator for Idaho. Read the blog post about how these educators empowered students to believe in themselves and their futures: https://lnkd.in/enaH2bNm #HigherEducation #HigherEd #HigherEdLife #StudentSuccess #Education #CollegeAdmissions  #WhyApply

The 2024 National ACT State Organizations Virtual Conference is a great summer professional development event to help you gain new perspectives, actionable ideas, and solutions to your most pressing challenges related to improving education and workforce development practices — with no travel involved. Conference topics include: - Supporting student mental health. - The state of apprenticeship in education and workforce. - Creating an ACT community of practice. - Supporting women in STEM fields. - Helping students maximize their education through quality advising. - Building the future workforce through pathways and partnerships. - Social and emotional learning. Visit https://bit.ly/3W5JlNE to view the full agenda, presenter information, and to register. #HigherEducation #Education #Workforce #WorkforceDevelopment #STEM #K12 #MentalHealthAwareness #SEL

Join an in-person ACT College and Career Readiness Workshop near you! You’ll get the full scope of what’s working in education nationally, but on a local scale, with tools and resources you can use all year to help your students on their college and career journeys. Attend the workshops to learn more about: - Using a holistic approach to education to achieve better outcomes. - Monitoring student growth using comprehensive assessment systems, validity research, and monitoring longitudinal growth. - Improving your curriculum using data for systemwide progress, mapping ACT standards against your district curricula, and identifying student needs. - Applying best practices for test preparation, including preparing educators to support confidence and district preparedness. - Future planning, including guiding students toward postsecondary and career success and helping students with the college application process. - Building essential skills, including sustaining effort and maintaining composure and how they affect readiness. Register now for a free workshop: https://bit.ly/3A4huWy #K12 #CollegeReadiness #CareerReadiness #Education #PostsecondarySuccess

Join us Thursday, Sept. 12, for an interactive, online discussion with credentialing industry experts from Credential Engine, the American Council on Education (ACE), Western Governors University, and ACT. Find out how you can find high-quality, credible, and transparent credentials to enhance your career readiness programs and support your learners’ success. Sign up now: https://bit.ly/3Yq0X9w #Workforce #Credentials #CareerReadiness #WorkplaceSuccess #WorkforceDevelopment #PostsecondaryEducation

Students’ access to technology has improved over time, although it continues to vary across family income categories and racial and ethnic groups, according to new ACT research out today. The study continues research ACT published six years ago that found a relationship between family income category and device access: As family income increased, so did the number of devices students had access to at home. “Although some gains in high school students’ technological device and internet access have occurred since ACT first investigated the digital divide in 2018, device and internet access of students with lower family incomes is lagging that of students with higher family incomes,” said Jeff Schiel, Ph.D, an ACT lead research scientist and author of the report. Nearly all (96%) high school students reported having access to a smartphone at home, and 87% had access to a laptop computer. However, students from higher-income families were significantly more likely than those from lower-income families to report having home access to desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones. Gains across all income groups indicate that more students are now connected, but disparities in access to technology remain significant. “We are seeing gains in critical areas of technology access compared to our 2018 findings, but they are not enough to bridge this divide,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “We must prioritize ensuring equitable technology and quality internet access for all students to support their future success in a digital-first world.” Learn more about the research report here: https://lnkd.in/eJ-Fem9A #DigitalDivide #DigitalInclusion #BridgingTheDigitalDivide #EdTech #HigherEd 

Learning and growing with the ACT team at #JFF2024 and sharing the mission driven work we do around creating equitable access to careers. The networking has been incredible, can’t wait to get back in office and put these learnings into action. Tina Gridiron , Lori Swartzendruber , Dr. Nancy Lewin , Amy Smitter , Chriss Cazayoux #workkeys