ACT® Scores Improve for Johnson County TN High School Seniors Following Retake Program

Significant improvement over best prior scores were realized, with 64% improving an average of over 2 composite points after utilizing Jumpstart Test Prep Review.

Johnson County, TN - December 13, 2021 - (Newswire.com)

Today, Jumpstart Test Prep announced efficacy conclusions determined by h-squared Analytics, a Portland Oregon research firm retained to investigate improvements realized by Johnson County High School whose senior class used the Jumpstart ACT Review program to prepare for an October 5th ACT^® exam (American College Testing). "Following completion of Jumpstart's ACT prep review, Math scores increased an average of +2.7 points for 47% of the students. 56% of science scores grew, with an average increase of +3.0 points. Average score growth of +2.6 points was attained by 52% of students in the English section. The largest point gains were realized on Reading scores, with 58% of students improving an average +4.0 points," reported Dr. Jake Hoskins of h-squared.

The graduating class average for the seniors participating in the school's retake initiative rose from 17.95 to 19.29.  The most improved student realized a composite improvement of +6 Points. The math subtest area most improved student also saw gains of +6 points. The science subtest most improved student realized a +12-point gain, and the reading subtest most improved student realized an +11-point gain. The English subtest had 4 students with +5-point gains.

The score increases observed translated to a substantive impact at the school level in increasing the % of students passing certain accountability metrics criteria. 19% of students that entered with an ACT composite below a key threshold of 19, managed to reach or exceed that score on the last exam attempt following the review. Similarly, 20% of students managed to achieve the composite score of 21 threshold and reached eligibility for Tennessee's Hope Scholarship Program which could collectively earn over $150,000 in scholarship awards.

Observed score improvements were found by Hoskins to be statistically significant (p<.05) and positive in direction using paired, one-sided T-Tests for the composite score, and the science, English & reading areas of the exam. Math score improvement was marginally significant (p=.054).

Leon Henley, principal at Johnson County High School, recently commented, "At JCHS, we know the importance of what doors a good ACT score can open for our students and we are always looking for ways to help our students improve. In collaboration with Jumpstart, we saw a good percentage of students that participated improve their scores."

Multiple Johnson County students were recognized for their improvement results and shared their thoughts about the program. Sydni Potter, a JCHS Senior, achieved a composite improvement of +6 points, to a 24 from a prior best score of 18. Sydni commented, "JumpStart made me feel more prepared for the ACT. The environment that I worked in this year while doing JumpStart also helped me better prepare myself. I recommend the JumpStart ACT Review to help anyone taking the ACT." Knox Campbell, a JCHS Senior improving his composite score +5 points agreed, "I was given a lot of tools to work at my own pace with JumpStart as well as having in-school instruction. The videos with the JumpStart Review along with the instructor helped me feel better prepared for the ACT. The online pretest/posttest through the Jumpstart Review was a confidence boost for me because I saw my score improve."

Teachers at Johnson County proctored the streaming video-based review in their classrooms and reinforced the program by ensuring student understanding and providing additional practice before the exam. Heather Taylor, JCHS 11th grade English Teacher commented, "The Jumpstart ACT program is informative for students AND teachers alike. This was my first year teaching an ACT driven course and I needed all this information as much as my students did. I spent the majority of my time teaching the English and Reading courses. The information included in the Jumpstart Review corresponding student workbooks is invaluable. Jumpstart does the best job of breaking down the mighty ACT test. It starts with the basics that many have forgotten by high school, and then moves into the more complicated material the ACT will expect them to conquer. After twenty years of teaching and seeing many programs come and go, this has been one of my favorites."

Placing the success Johnson County experienced into perspective was company Co-founder & CEO, Sha Walker, who shared some of those key elements.

"Johnson County faced enormous challenges this past spring with COVID outages and a statewide ice storm the weeks before the planned test day that delayed testing and prep for many schools. Johnson County's plan to implement the Jumpstart subject area reviews into the school's master schedule so their seniors could complete subject area reviews within three or four weeks before test day as prescribed was just one component enabling the impressive Average score gains over prior best scores. The incentive program Johnson County High created to reward students for achievement was well planned and promoted and their dedicated teachers did an excellent job with implementation and reinforcement. In order to be fully prepared, students need a complete review of the content they will see on the ACT^®, along with all the tips, test-taking strategies and realistic question practice - all delivered and reinforced by educators in a near time frame to test day," said Walker.

Jumpstart Test Prep has constructed an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Mississippi's 19-year STAR teacher Hall of Fame inductee: the legendary educator and tutor Dot McClendon.

"As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person," said McClendon. "Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach."

Walker and McClendon cite the top three competitive distinctions of Jumpstart Test Prep:

1. Offers highly visual, on-demand guided reviews integrated in the classroom as teachers reinforce and support curriculum.
2. Provides content review, tips, strategies, and timed-practice as students engage actively by completing consumable workbooks.
3. Includes online assessments to help identify deficits, refine skills and processes, and improve time management.

School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

More information on Jumpstart Test Prep and the complete analysis can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com

More information on h-squared Analytics, LLC can be found at www.h-squared-analytics.com

Media Contact:

Hannah Mason
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 833-835-8329

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Original Source: ACT® Scores Improve for Johnson County TN High School Seniors Following Retake Program