ACT's Leader Takes Charge in Difficult Time

The last week has not been a fun one for ACT.

Parents continue to complain to the press about a lack of responsiveness, and difficulties with registering for the ACT. Someone arriving on the ACT website on Friday (reaching anyone by phone is difficult) would find messages that outline problems:

• "We have sent all students who were unable to test in April, June or July because of COVID-19 cancellations an email with more information and options. Learn more about ACT test registration, MyACT and testing amid COVID-19."
• "Scores from the July 18 national test date will begin to post on Wednesday, August 5, and will continue posting through August 31. Note that most scores will post on August 5 and 6. MyACT site issues have not delayed the availability of July 18 test scores."
• "We continue to work to add test centers and to expand capacity for fall testing. See our extended calendar of national test dates."

That was coming off the previous week, when ACT shut down registrations. They were back on Monday, but with waits that were as long as 50 minutes.

Try ACT's customer service number, and you will be instructed to use the my.act.org website. It warned of long delays to get a person. And it blamed a tropical storm for the problems. (ACT is located in Iowa City).

The reactions have been intense, particularly from parents. Inside Higher Ed has been receiving comments like this:

"Two hours on hold this morning, finally I get a representative. Give my daughter's ACT number, after few seconds of silence, the rep hangs up the call. Absolute disgrace."

The COVID-19 pandemic has obviously created major problems for many of the businesses that serve higher education, particularly those in the testing space. ACT and the College Board canceled some tests, although ACT was speedier to resume testing this summer. (The College Board isn't resuming until the fall.)

In late May, ACT announced a major change in the leadership of the organization. Marten Roorda was out as CEO, a position in which he had served since 2015.

Janet Godwin (at right) would take over on an interim basis. She has been at ACT since 1990, and has held positions including vice president of operations, chief of staff, and chief operating officer, the position she held when she was promoted. She has also served on the Iowa City school board, currently as president.

In an interview, Godwin said that she's worked in every division of ACT except sales.

"Obviously, COVID-19 has brought a lot of stress to our world," Godwin said. "The volatility on local systems" is the most obvious impact.

Testing centers have closed suddenly, and at the last minute, she acknowledged. "Most troubling is that we had a breakdown in communications," with testing centers closing at the very last minute, sometimes without time to notify test-takers.

In July, 88,000 students took the test at 1,100 sites. Around 1,400 examinees showed up to take the test at 21 closed sites. (The 88,000 is about 20 percent fewer than the number who took the test last year in the same time period.)

"I feel really terrible about that," Godwin said of those unable to take the test. "I apologize."

Going forward, she said, "We are going to be 100 percent better."

Part of that is going to be a major effort for subsequent tests to be given in more locations. Most of the ACT test centers that closed were in high schools. Godwin said that ACT is currently trying to contract with hotels and conference centers, which are more likely to remain open.

Then there is the issue of COVID-19 among test-takers during an ACT test. Two students who took the ACT in July in Oklahoma had COVID-19, KOKH News reported.

Neither student was symptomatic when taking the ACT, but they could have been contagious. "According to room assignment, it's likely that you or your child were within the area of one or both of these students for up to 15 minutes," said ACT officials in a letter to students and parents who were at the Oklahoma site.

The ACT recommends, but does not require, test takers to have a face mask on.

An ACT statement to KOKH News said, "As part of ACT's test center social distancing guidelines, students and monitors were asked to complete a series of COVID-19 symptom and travel screening questions, instructed to practice social distancing guidelines while on campus, and it was recommended that masks be worn by all."

A recommendation is not a requirement, Godwin acknowledged. "We do require testing masks" for those who are being paid by ACT. Asked why not require the mask for test-takers, she said, "We are constantly re-evaluating our polices," adding that ACT is looking at that policy.

Then there is the question of why give the ACT now. Godwin noted that there is very high demand from students. There are concerns about grade inflation in high schools, many of which switched to pass/fail systems last year. And while the vast majority of colleges have gone test-optional, many scholarship programs continue to require a test score.

"We are meeting demand," she said.

Robert Schaeffer, interim executive director of FairTest: the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, and a longstanding critic of the ACT and the SAT, said "apologies do not solve problems."

"Students and their families still are having significant problems registering for upcoming exam administrations, which may not take place because school buildings remain closed, and many of those who were able to take recent tests are not able to access their scores, which were supposed to be available this week," he said.