Earlier this school year, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced that it would no longer be providing free ACTs to juniors.

That caused a small state of panic for many juniors who assumed they would now have to provide their own funding for the $46 ACT which could become very expensive depending on how many times a student decides to take the test.

Back in November, the district announced that Pattonville would be providing vouchers to juniors to be able to take the ACT once (without writing) for free. The vouchers can be applied when the student registers for a regularly scheduled ACT test in February, April or June 2018.

Pattonville High School will distribute the coupons upon request to juniors, but many students are still confused about this process. High school college counselor Ms. Michelle Luraschi provided some insight.

“I want to say it was around November when the administration decided. I’m sure there were some meetings and conversations at the school board level and at the Learning Center with the leadership about that,” Luraschi said. “The announcement was made about early November that Pattonville was going to provide the free opportunity for either one ACT or SAT.”

For juniors who choose to take the SAT (without essay) instead of the ACT, Pattonville will reimburse each student for the cost of the March, May or June test. Students must provide a receipt indicating the cost of the test to Associate Principal Robert Thompson’s office.

“There’ve been some other districts in the area that are also offering that, so I think it just took a little bit of time to explore what we could offer.”

Students who do not wish to take the ACT or SAT will be strongly encourage to take the ACT Work Keys or ASVAB instead. There is no cost to the ASVAB.

The vouchers will be available in the high school guidance office, and students will only be given one voucher. Lost vouchers will not be replaced.

“The school only purchased one per junior, and that’s what the state would have provided as well, so it’s basically the school district is replacing what the state would have offered,” Luraschi said.

“Now if a student, and this has always existed, if a student receives free or reduced lunch, or has another indicator of lower income status, they can come and see me in the College and Career Center and I can provide them with two additional waivers for the ACT or SAT.”