CHS Parents and Students
On April 3rd the Junior class will be taking their Nebraska State Accountability test. As you may know, the state accountability test for Juniors is the ACT. This test will be administered to the students on April 3rd . The ACT test requires a very regulated and restrictive testing environment. We have committed to giving the ACT test to all students in grades 9, 10, and 11 on this date. The 9th and 10th graders will be taking the ACT test using older booklets and will receive a raw score that would only be an indicator of how they may perform on an actual ACT test, this test cannot be used for college entrance. It is common knowledge among educators that the more exposure to the ACT test a student has, the better they are likely to perform. It is our feeling that our underclassmen need to understand the value and importance of the ACT test and be given the opportunity to take the test prior to their Junior year. For the Junior class, it is not only the state accountability test but it may also be used for college entrance. This is a significant opportunity for these students to perform well.
The ACT test is a time consuming test and will require testing from 8:10 am. until approximately 1:00 pm. The test environment must be free of distractions: therefore, the bells will be turned off and the intercom system cannot be used in the high school. By ACT protocol, students cannot enter the testing time late nor leave for an appointment during that time. Once the ACT testing starts, students are not to enter or leave. Also, students cannot have any electronic devices, books, etc. in the test site. The only thing students may have will be No. 2 pencils and a calculator. At the end of the testing time, students can choose to eat school lunch here or take their sack lunch and be dismissed for the day. Below is the approximate format of time for the ACT test.
Testing schedule for Tuesday, April 3rd
8:10 – 8:20 – All students report to their assigned ACT testing rooms
Begin check in process (students should leave electronic devices in their locker)
8:20 – Begin reading instructions
8:25 – 9:10 – English test (45 min)
9:12 – 10:12 – Math test (60 min)
10:12 – 10:30 – Break, snacks for students will be provided
10:30 – 11:10 – Reading (35 min)
11:13 – 11:50 – Science (35 min)
11:53 – 12:23 – Writing (30 min)
12:23 – 12:30 – Collection of materials
12:30 - 1:00 – lunch and approximate dismissal time (Lunch will be served)
For the Seniors, the plan is to have a history tour for those students at a variety of sites in Kearney and Lexington. They will report to school as usual and leave by school transportation to various sites. The Seniors should arrive back at the high school at approximately the same time as the completion of the ACT test. They will also have the option of school sack lunch here or taking their sack lunch and being dismissed for the day.
Educationally,
William Beckenhauer
Principal, Cozad High School