District builds 'ACT culture' to aid kids on college exam

An Omaha school district has built an "ACT culture" to aid students in doing well on the college entrance exam.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that before Nebraska began testing all juniors, the Millard Public Schools district already was giving the test to all students. Heather Phipps is Millard's associate superintendent for educational services, and she says the district is "several years into building what we are calling an `ACT culture."'

When the district first began giving the ACT, Millard teachers took old ACT exams so they could learn what the tests look like and what kind of questions students were being asked. Phipps says the goal wasn't to teach to the test but rather to ensure teachers understood it.

High ACT scores bring better chances of admission at the colleges the students want to attend and, at many colleges, better chances at scholarships.