Vamos a seguir adelante (Let’s keep pushing forward)!
September 15-October 15 is traditionally observed as Hispanic Heritage Month. We will feature stories from Hispanic Americans who will share their journeys, their struggles, and
Equity in ACTion
Celebrating the College Application Season
By Melissa Caperton, director, American College Application Campaign September means the start of a new school year, football season and college application season. The American
Juan Garcia: Teachable Moments Only Made Me Stronger
By: Juan Garcia, director, Client Relations September 15-October 15 is traditionally observed as Hispanic Heritage Month. We will feature stories from Hispanic Americans who will
Audra M. King: Be open to possibility and to people who are different than you
By: Audra M. King, events coordinator, University of Iowa Center for Advancement As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating
Insights from Corinne, Faika, and Nikki
By: Shannon Hayes, Policy Analyst, State & Federal Policy As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students. A
Katie Gragnaniello: Don’t worry so much about where you fit in
By: Katie Gragnaniello, Manager, Policy Communications, State & Federal Policy As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students.
Tina McCoy Hearn: Growing up First-Gen in the Rural Midwest
By Tina McCoy Hearn, director for social impact, ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we
Karolyn Trumpold: Parental support early helps children succeed
By: Karolyn Trumpold, program coordinator, Talent Strategy As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students. A First-Generation College
Kim Bauer: Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t
By: Kim Bauer, director, Implementation Services As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students. A First-Generation College Student
Savanah Schott: Breathe and do your best
By: Savanah Schott, senior program manager, State Engagement As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students. A First-Generation
SEL, resources are keys to success
By: Christian A. Latino, Alex Casillas, PhD Prior research tells us that several pieces of student information, such as high school GPA and ACT Composite
Ada Woo: Try to learn something from everyone around you
By: Ada Woo, senior director, Strategy Implementation and Operations, ACTNext As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students.
Nate Scheib: I recommitted myself and went back to school
By: Nate Scheib, recruiter, Talent Acquisition As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students. A First-Generation College Student
Reflections from Machia: The Summer Before I Attend College
As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students. A First-Generation College Student is defined as a student whose
Teresa Niner: I wanted to have more opportunities
By: Teresa Niner, senior manager, Benefits & Wellness, Talent Strategy As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students.
Becky Bobek: I loved learning
By: Becky Bobek, director, Learning, Assessment, & Navigation Experiences Research As students across the nation head back to the classroom, we are celebrating First-Generation students.
First Generation College Students Face Challenges in Achieving a Degree
By: Alex Casillas, Principal Research Scientist, Design-based Research, ACT The number of first generation college students (FGCS) in the United States is higher than many
Guest Blog: Building a College Promise Program
By: Martha Kanter, Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign, and Yanelle Cruz, Policy and Development Fellow, College Promise Campaign At the College Promise Campaign,
Five Difficult Realities We Face When We Talk About Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
By: Jim Larimore, Chief Officer This blog was originally posted to the ACT website Friday, July 13. We do not live in an equitable world.
What the Opportunity Index Means to ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning
By: Christina Gordon, Senior Director This article originally appeared on July 11, 2018 in Opportunity Nation The Opportunity Index is an important and vital resource
Connections Help Prevent Summer Melt
By: Amber O’Connor, Program Coordinator Summer melt, the phenomenon of students who have applied to and been accepted to college and don’t show up for
Attracting More Students to Teaching
By: Katie Gragnaniello, Manager, Policy Communications, with support from ACT’s State and Federal Policy Team Summer’s here and many teachers are taking on additional jobs—waiting
ACT, a Leader in Measurement, Broadens Focus to Student Success
By: Tom Vander Ark, CEO of Getting Smart, contributor to Education Week This article originally appeared on June 18, 2018 in Education Week and Getting
Bravado, Basketball, And Back-To-School For Sophomore Year
By: Jim Larimore, Chief Officer for the Center for Equity in Learning, is a guest contributor for the Reach Higher initiative When LeBron James steps
College Signing Day: Supporting Student Success!
By: Katie Gragnaniello, Manager, Partner Communications Again this year, we were thrilled to support and be part of College Signing Day in Philadelphia on May
Latino Students Persist in College
By: Shannon Hayes, Policy Analyst, Public Affairs The true picture of Latino college completion must be measured on a longer scale than the traditional six
Community College: Making a Difference
By: Dr. Martha J. Kanter, Executive Director, College Promise Campaign Why National Community College Month? Community colleges change lives and build productive, happier, and healthier
College Signing Day 2018: Celebrate Students in Your College Gear!
By: Katie Gragnaniello, Manager of Partner Communications College Signing Day is almost here! This year, we will mark the event with our friends from Better
Paying It Forward
By: Maya Cade-Special to ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning My first introduction to the concept of paying it forward was watching the 2000 feature
Explore ACT Marketplace
By: Jonna Higgins-Freese, Program Director-New Product Development When kids are struggling academically, parents struggle too. Recently, ACT’s New Product Development has been interacting with a
Investing in STEM: An Investment in our Future
By: Katie Gragnaniello, Manager of Partner Communications Investing in STEM education in the U.S. is an investment in innovation, opportunity, and our global competitiveness. The
Women in STEM: You Belong
This post was first published on ACT’s Blog on 3/15/18 By: Alina Von Davier, Vice President, ACTNext Last week marked International Women’s Day. Recognizing such
What CEOs Can Do to Improve Higher Ed Outcomes
This post was first published on the Committee for Economic Development’s Blog on 3/14/18 By: CHRISTINA GORDON, Senior Director, Center for Equity in Learning Business
Celebrating Women
Happy International Women’s Day! International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate and recognize the important achievements of women around the world. All month long
Celebrating Excellence
It’s that time of year again! Our friends at Excelencia in Education are now accepting nominations for this year’s Examples in Excelencia. Examples of Excelencia
You Belong: Yolanda Norman Inspires First-Generation College Students
We are honored and excited to have our friend, supporter, and advocate for first-generation college students, Yolanda Norman, share her experience about being the first
Thousands Benefit from Career and Education Day in Houston
By: Juan Garcia, Senior Director, Center for Equity in Learning ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning participated in the 32nd Career and Education Day in
The Gifted Gap
By: Nycole Stawinoga, Program Manager, Research & Communications I wasn’t supposed to be in the gifted program in grade school. My placement scores were considered
How the fight over the census threatens American education
This opinion piece was first published in The Hill on 2/3/2018 By: Jim Larimore, Chief Officer, ACT Center for Equity in Learning The debate about the
Mentorship: The Power of Investing in Others
We are thrilled to have our friend Eric Waldo, Executive Director of the Reach Higher initiative, share his experiences with his mentee, Verlando Brown. Eric
HBCUs: Better Growth, More Jobs, Stronger Communities
By: Nycole Stawinoga, Program Manager, Research and Communications, Center for Equity in Learning A recent report by UNCF and The University of Georgia, “HBCUs Make
Mentorship: A Significant Role in a Student’s Journey
We are excited to have Dr. Laura Owen, our friend and the Director of the Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success at American University, guest blog
First Generation College Students Benefit from Accelerated Learning and Financial Aid
By: Alex Casillas, Ph.D., Principal Research Psychologist and Christian A. Latino, Research Assistant, ACT Demographics in the U.S. are changing. Today, most first-generation college students,
New Partnership with a Longtime Friend
By: Nycole Stawinoga, Program Manager, Research and Communications, ACT Center for Equity in Learning On Tuesday, American University School of Education launched its Center for
Tomorrow: Education Equity Webinar
By: Bobby Rush, District Manager, ACT State Organizations ACT State Organizations serves as a volunteer arm for ACT and is bolstered by more than 11,000
Flattening Speed Bumps: The Path To Postsecondary Success
By: Jim Larimore, Chief Officer for the Center for Equity in Learning, guest contributor for the Reach Higher initiative A coworker of mine recently had a
Partnerships: Driving Equity Forward
By Juan Garcia, Senior Director, Center for Equity in Learning with support from Lew Montgomery, Maria Vasquez, and Tina McCoy Hearn Partnerships continue to drive the equity work of
CEL Research: Illuminating Equity in Education and Work
By: Kurt Burkum, Senior Director of Research, with support from Nycole Stawinoga The last three months of 2017 saw ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning’s
Many Ways to Make an Impact
By: Melissa Murer Corrigan, Vice President Social Impact, with support from Tina McCoy Hearn and Amber O’Connor As the Center for Equity in Learning continues
Making Education Data Visible
Recently, Higher Education Today featured a piece highlighting the lack of disaggregated data and missing narrative on Native students from Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs),
Opportunity Index 2017: Where Is Opportunity in America?
Yesterday, ACT Center for Equity in Learning sponsored the release of Opportunity Nation’s 2017 Opportunity Index at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and
Key Takeaways from the Accessing Higher Ground Conference
By: Jeff McCullough, J.D., Senior Director for Accessibility, Center for Equity in Learning Earlier this month, I attended the Accessing Higher Ground conference—an event that
Giving Back and Cultivating Connections
By Melissa Murer Corrigan, Vice President, Social Impact, Center for Equity in Learning As we mark Giving Tuesday this year – the global day of
ACT Awarded Outstanding Philanthropic Organization by Kirkwood Community College
By: Jody Donaldson, Scholarship & Alumni Officer at Kirkwood Community College “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” — Gandhi
Center for Equity in Learning at ACT Focused on Underserved and Working Learners
Earlier this week, STEMx interviewed Christina Gordon, Senior Director at ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning to learn more about the Center and the work we
Innovating Work-and-Learn Models
By: Nycole Stawinoga, Program Manager, Research and Communications The vast majority of students are working learners, which means they work and engage in education opportunities
Interview with Road-Tripper Esther
Last summer, we teamed up with Roadtrip Nation and Better Make Room to send three young people who are in college (or on their way!)
Interview with Road-Tripper Estephanie
Last summer, we teamed up with Roadtrip Nation and Better Make Room to send three young people who are in college (or on their way!)
The Promise and Challenges of Equity and Innovation in Education
Achieving education equity and innovation for students are two of the most pressing issues in education right now. These two forces were center stage at
Research Update: Working Learners and Strategic Partnerships
By: Kurt Burkum, Senior Director, with support from Nycole Stawinoga Since its beginning, the ACT Foundation focused on understanding the intersection of education, work, and
Cutting work-study program only punishes students in need
This opinion piece was first published in The Hill on 10/26/2017 By: Jim Larimore, Chief Officer, ACT Center for Equity in Learning A tenet of President Trump
The Time to Shift is Now, CLOSE IT 2017
By: Melissa Murer Corrigan, VP Social Impact Record numbers, over 600 people, attended Close It 2017. This year, ACT participated in Innovate + Educate’s annual
Show Your Spirit For LGBT History Month
By: Christina Gordon, Senior Director, ACT Center for Equity in Learning October marks the 17th annual LGBT History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions
Thurgood Marshall’s Legacy in Action
By Jim Larimore, Chief Officer, ACT Center for Equity in Learning Can one person make a difference in the lives of every American? Thurgood Marshall
Teaming up to Talk Equity and Innovation
By: Andrew Cantine, Technical Editor, ACTNext Educational technologies are having an unprecedented impact across society in multiple sectors by opening new market areas, helping learners
Education Fairs and Hispanic Heritage Month
By: Juan Garcia, Senior Director As fall begins it is always an exciting time to reflect on a great summer and the moments that create
Strategic Partnerships
By: Juan Garcia, Senior Director with support from Amy Nicknish, Tina McCoy Hearn, Lew Montgomery, and Maria Vasquez As another quarter comes to an end,
The Company We Keep
Melissa Murer Corrigan, Vice President Social Impact ACT has a broad and deep history of focusing on social responsibility. And focus on social impact is
Accessibility in Action
By: Jeff L. McCullough, Senior Program Director, with support from Amber O’Connor, Program Coordinator ACT and The Center for Equity in Learning have been busy
ACT to Recognize College & Career Champions: Apply today!
By: Suzanne Conquest, Senior Director, State Organizations Preparing individuals for college and career success is no small task- and it’s never been more important. This is
Master the Steps2College
Last week, we announced the launch of a new, interactive tool to aid in the college-going process. Steps2College, a partnership among the Center, American College Application
On the Road at NCAN 2017
Last week my colleague Juan Garcia and I joined hundreds of educators, school counselors, advocates, nonprofits, foundations, and other education leaders in San Diego for
Sandra Cisneros’ Inspirational Journey
Friday marked the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month. In acknowledgement of that, last week renowned author and activist Sandra Cisneros visited ACT’s
“What it is like to be a college student”: Taking a closer look at dual enrollment
As a first-generation college student from California’s Central Valley, my story mirrors the experience of many underrepresented students across the country who struggle in their transition to higher education.
Underserved Learners Lag Far Behind Peers in College & Career Readiness According to 2017 ACT Score Results
IOWA CITY, Iowa—Underserved students lag far behind their peers when it comes to college and career readiness, and the more underserved characteristics that students possess,
Design Sprints and the Power of Convening
In June, ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning and ACT’s Product Line Management Horizon3 team convened a group of external researchers, practitioners, and foundations to
School Time Creates Social Time
By: Amber O’Connor, Program Coordinator Back to school time has always been my favorite time of year. While I loved being in the classroom and
A Deeper Look at Working Learners
Our latest working learner reports “Who Does Work Work For? Understanding Equity in Working Learner College and Career Success” and “Equity in Working and Learning
What You Need to Know about Working and Learning
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the majority of the 30 million students in the U.S. are working learners – that is, they work at
Danger Time for College Students: Working at a Job More than 15 Hours a Week May do More Harm Than Good, Especially for Underserved Students
ACT Center for Equity in Learning’s Report Highlights Need for Lifelong Learning to Advance Equity WASHINGTON, D.C.—Aug. 28, 2017—Working more than 15 hours a week
Examples of Excelencia 2017 National Finalist: Celebrating Latino Student Success
It’s time to celebrate! Recently, our partners at Excelencia in Education announced their 2017 national finalists for Examples of Excelencia, an initiative honoring programs at
Native Students Being Left Behind
Last month, The Nation’s Rebecca Clarren wrote the gripping article “How America is Failing Native American Students.” She details the vast educational inequities Native students
Go Big Red – Celebrating 100 years of Education, Community and Kindness
It is August and back to school time. This summer there was a 100-year celebration for the Cathedral of St Raymond Parish, where I attended
Back to School: Junior High Jitters
Back to school. Never in my life had I dreaded these three words more than in 1970. All summer long my stomach rolled at the
Reflections on Charlottesville
This weekend I had “the talk” AGAIN with my sons, two young multiracial teenagers, so that they can understand what happened in Charlottesville and the
Guest Blog: Roseina Britton
Interning with ACT Center for Equity and Learning was appealing to me because when I hear the term equity, I instantly think of the image
Back to School: Sixth Grade Stars
Every year, when the class assignments got mailed, I called my friend Anice Williams to see whose class she was in. From the time we
Guest Blog: Maurice Swinney
This summer, we brought education luminaries to our ACT campus as a continuation of the Center for Equity in Learning’s Distinguished Lecture Series. We were
ADA Turns 27, but Inequity Still Exists
One week ago, the U.S. celebrated the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a federal civil rights law that
Beating the Odds Summit: A Conversation with Michelle Obama
Last week, Jim Larimore, Amy Nicknish, and I had the opportunity to sit with Former First Lady Michelle Obama at the Beating the Odds Summit
Committed to College and Career Success for Dubuque’s Underserved Population
On July 21, Juan Garcia, Roseina Britton, and I traveled to Dubuque to meet with Nancy Van Milligen, president and CEO; Julee Albers director of
Connecting with Students Creates Magical, Remarkable Results
Last month, we brought education luminaries to ACT to discuss their real-world experiences working with students in need. We heard from North Carolina elementary school
Standing Up to Summer Slide: Kids on Course University
By: Amber O’Connor, Program Coordinator, ACT Center for Equity in Learning Last week, our team stood up to summer slide by volunteering at the Zach Johnson
A Deeper Look into STEM Readiness
Some students want STEM-related learning and career opportunities so desperately, they make their own. One example is Wyatt Tauber of Minnesota, whom ACT spotlighted during
Supports for English Learners to be Provided on the ACT Test
As announced late last year, starting this fall ACT will be providing additional support for students taking the ACT who are English learners. Why is
Guest Blog: Dr. Bach Mai Dolly Nguyen
In June, the Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education at the University of California, Los Angeles, with support from the ACT Center for Equity in
Guest Blog: Dr. Joyce Brown
Last week, ACT hosted our Distinguished Lecture Series, inviting exceptional educators who are reaching underserved students in extraordinary ways to our Iowa City campus. Joyce
Guest Blog: Michael Bonner
By: Michael Bonner Last week, ACT hosted our Distinguished Lecture Series, which focused on exceptional educators who are reaching underserved students in extraordinary ways. Michael
Roadtrip Nation’s Willie Witte: Lessons from the Road
Roadtrip Nation is sending three students on a cross-country road trip to interview inspiring people who have overcome struggles of all kinds to complete their
Unequal STEM Preparation Further Entrenches Inequity in Education
ACT research, including our annual Condition of STEM report, has consistently shown that only just over a quarter of students who are interested in STEM