Jackson students' ACT tests will be paid by district

Jackson School District assistant superintendent Matt Lacy recommended to the board of education Tuesday to pay to allow each enrolled junior at Jackson High School the opportunity to take the ACT once.

At the regular school board meeting Tuesday, Lacy requested $18,000 to cover the cost of assessment, which he said would be $45 per student.

He said about 400 students are in this year's 11th-grade class.

The motion passed unanimously.

"I think of all the assessments we take, the ACT is the most valuable," Lacy said, as it has a direct effect on students' futures.

"I think that's a wonderful gift," Lacy added.

If a student is not necessarily college-bound, Lacy said, doing well on the ACT can open up new possibilities.

"I can't say it happened with 100 kids, but for me, even if for five or 10, it's worth it," Lacy said.

"We're very blessed to have such a student central, supportive board," Lacy said after the meeting.

In July, Gov. Eric Greitens signed a $4 million cut to education-evaluation funding, which ended a program that allowed all Missouri juniors to take the ACT once for free.

That program began in 2015.

Since then, several Missouri school districts have announced they would pick up the tab for juniors taking the ACT.

The fee for the ACT is $46, or $62.50 with the optional writing test.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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614 E. Adams St., Jackson, Mo.