The executive director of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents says Louisiana is one of only 13 states that require all high school juniors to take the ACT test. Michael Faulk says the requirement is outdated.
“The top five performing states in the nation don’t require their students to take the ACT test. They use other measures,” Faulk said.
Faulk says students who are not planning on going to college shouldn’t have to take the ACT test because they are not taught classes that prepare them for it.
“They’re taking some courses that are the same but they are more prepared to be able to go into the workforce,” he said.
Faulk said students who aren’t preparing to go to college are also given a chance to take a test called WorkKeys. He believes only students who are planning to go to college should be required to take the ACT test.
“A student on a career pathway be required to take the WorkKeys exam and the parent has the choice if they want their child to take the ACT exam,” Faulk said
In addition, Faulk believes when students who are not prepared to take the ACT tests have to take it, their low scores drag down the state’s overall average, which has been declining for five consecutive years.