Dr. Tom Bowling, associate vice-president of student and educational services at Frostburg State University, represented the state of Maryland at the annual meeting of ACT, Inc., in Iowa City, Iowa on Oct. 20 and 21. Bowling is part of the Maryland ACT State Organization, which includes member representing colleges, school districts, agencies and associations through the state.
The purpose of the state organization is to support and promote informed decision-making by individuals engaged in career planning, preparation for further education or work and lifelong learning. Bowling was elected by the membership of the state organization to serve as a liaison to ACT, Inc., and advise the company about educational concerns in Maryland.
Speakers at the annual meeting included former Secretary of Education Richard Riley and Kati Haycock, director of the Education Trust.
One of the main educational messages of the meeting was the need to strengthen curriculum so that high school graduates are ready for college and the workplace. Among the graduates in the high school class of 2004, only 26 percent of the ACT-tested graduates were ready for college-level Biology, only 40 percent were ready for college-level Algebra and only 68 percent were ready for Freshman English Composition.
This issue is important to businesses as well, because the skills needed for the first year of college are the same skills students need to be successful in the workplace. Many adults who seek job training for promotions aren’t able to participate successfully in training courses because the lack the foundation skills.
For more information on ACT, visit online at www.act.org.
