ACT Complication: Stop It Before It Hits The Nation
February 21, 2019: Licking Valley High School - 163 Juniors packed up at the school in preparation for the ACT, a test required for graduation. Already shivering in worry for the test, as the scores can heavily impact the options available for one’s impending decision on what his/her future holds, a surprising situation occurred, devastating many. The only question lying in everyone’s mind being: “What is going on?”
Amidst the Thursday morning mayhem of the waived fee ACT, students watched the time tick tick tick away, unable to do anything as the questions were “loading”. Nobody could explain it. Students, panicking; teachers, befuddled… the day just seemed hopeless. However, the administration actively tried to both find and resolve the issue. Communicating with other schools, like Lakewood High School, who were also experiencing similar issues, it was quickly discovered that it wasn’t an internet issue, rather one that was rooted from within the ACT software, meaning the resolution was out of Valley’s control. The frustration intensified.
In speaking to two of the many Juniors who personally experienced this devastation, Laikin Frank and Kendall Miller, they responded that “just watching the time go by was incredibly frustrating.” They also detailed their feeling “powerless” and “upset” that the disappointments of that day were out of their control; however, this didn’t stop LVHS Principal, Mr. Weaver from, as he stated in the email following the ACT issues, “I'll fight for [the chance of a retake] until I've exhausted all avenues of recourse”.
Because the ACT operators were so understanding toward their technology’s fault, Licking Valley students who took the test and felt that their success was hindered because of the issues have been offered a re-test to replace the previous score. This second test will be taken on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, and for those who choose to take it, their tests from the first test will be disposed of, unscored, and replaced by the new one. Frank, who plans to participate in the ACT retest next Tuesday also explained how “[she is] so grateful to get the chance to retake [it].” Even if she doesn’t score incredibly high, she is still “excited to try another time and hopefully beat [her] brother’s score.”
As they prepare themselves for the ACT retest, it can only be hoped by students, teachers, and the ACT operators that the issues have been resolved and next Tuesday will be smooth-sailing.