WICHITA — Kansas education officials say all high school juniors in the state will be able to take ACT exams and assessments for free next school year.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the ACT exam gauges a student’s readiness for success in college. The ACT WorkKeys assessments measure essential workplace skills. The exams will be administered statewide in February.
Kansas Department of Education spokeswoman Denise Kahler says the free tests are being financed through additional funding from the state Legislature as part of its new school finance plan.
Students pay $50 for the ACT exam and an additional $16.50 for an optional writing assessment.
State officials say they’ll recommend, but not require, that all juniors take both tests.
Kansas students’ ACT scores last year fell to their lowest point in five years.
