Each year, the ACT Summit features dozens of engaging, valuable sessions spanning K-12, higher education, and workforce topics. These sessions are not chosen at random; ACT carefully curates them from hundreds of proposals submitted by industry leaders across the country.
This 2026 Summit session, ‘Implementing Low/No-Cost ACT Prep Plans at Your School,’ presented by Brian Eufinger, president of Edison Prep, and Olivia Jones-Myers, Esq., president of Impact Tutoring Services, clearly struck a chord with attendees this year, as it was one of the most widely attended sessions of the Summit.
Why this session resonated
For many students, ACT test success depends on more than individual motivation; it also depends on access to effective preparation materials and resources. By offering high-quality ACT prep at low or no cost, schools and districts can reduce barriers to college admission, scholarships, and postsecondary planning opportunities.
This is where ACT and K-12 leaders come together as strategic partners. Beyond just a college readiness assessment, educators can access tools, insights, and preparation resources so they can better support their students with practical, school-led, or self-guided prep plans that meet learners where they are.
Why ACT prep matters to schools
Studies on test preparation show that preparation can make a tangible difference in scores, especially when students engage with resources consistently and with purpose. ACT research found that students who participate in ACT test preparation activities tend to see about a one-point gain in their composite score.
Additionally, ACT found that most students who took the ACT test more than once gained an average of two or more score points.
When students do better, schools do better when it comes to accountability and state report cards, academic achievement and growth metrics, and college and career readiness indicators.
K-12 educators and ACT as strategic partners in the classroom
For K-12 leaders, ACT preparation is most powerful when it is integrated into a broader college and career readiness strategy. Schools can use ACT preparation to reinforce classroom learning, help students understand the test experience, identify areas for growth, and connect assessment results to postsecondary planning conversations.
Educators play a central role in making ACT preparation effective because students need solutions that are scalable, easy to implement, and adaptable to each school’s local needs. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to test prep.
A strong ACT prep plan does not have to be expensive or complicated. It should be intentional, visible, and easy for students to follow. Schools can begin by helping students understand what the ACT measures, how the test is structured, and how their results can inform next steps. From there, educators can guide students toward practice opportunities, content review, time-management strategies, and reflection on progress.
With ACT prep resources and strategies at hand, educators can intentionally implement them into things like:
- Bellringers
- ACT bootcamps
- Tutoring
- Summer ACT workshops
- ACT as an elective course
- Embedded co-teaching
- Internal resource libraries students can access anytime
The strongest approach is one that students can realistically use and sustain.
Making test prep more accessible
Access is central to the value of low- or no-cost ACT preparation. Students with limited financial resources may not be able to purchase private tutoring, commercial courses, or extensive practice materials, and therefore depend on what their school can provide. When districts make preparation available to all students, they help level the playing field and expand access and opportunities associated with stronger ACT performance.
Additionally, helping students obtain an ACT Fee Waiver includes free access to test prep and supports test accessibility for financially challenged learners.
Making sure educators are prepped about ACT prep
To ensure ACT prep works for students, educators first need clear, practical guidance on how preparation fits into the school day. That means understanding what the ACT measures, how the test is structured, which free or low-cost resources are available, and how to turn those resources into simple routines students can follow.
When teachers, counselors, and school leaders are equipped with that knowledge, they can help students practice with purpose, track progress, and connect preparation and study skills to their next steps after high school.
Districts can encourage their educators to take part in ACT’s professional learning and instructional mastery opportunities, which include instructional certifications in each ACT subject, as well as many professional development events at ACT’s regional conferences held throughout the country.
Prepared educators can:
- Use class time, advisory periods, or homeroom blocks for short, consistent ACT practice.
- Offer targeted skill-building sessions based on common areas of need.
- Provide students with practice questions and opportunities to review explanations.
- Encourage students to set score goals and track progress over time.
- Train other teachers, counselors, and college access staff to reinforce preparation strategies.
- Give families clear information about free or low-cost prep options and testing timelines.
For self-guided preparation, schools can help students build weekly study plans, identify trusted resources, and create accountability through check-ins with an educator or counselor.
The goal is not to make every student follow the same path, but to ensure every student has a path forward. Educators can find all the resources needed for ACT test prep implementation here.
Structure matters
Research also suggests that simply giving students access to preparation tools may not be enough. In one ACT study of an online prep course, many students did not use the resource as intended, even when they were interested in using it for free. The takeaway for schools is clear: access should be paired with structure, encouragement, and guidance.
That support can be simple. Schools can set aside regular preparation time, remind students of upcoming test dates, celebrate milestones, and help students connect their preparation to personal goals such as college admission, scholarships, career pathways, or program eligibility.
The bottom line: Preparation expands opportunity
Low- or no-cost ACT prep expands opportunity. With practice and support, students can better demonstrate their skills while schools help reduce inequities in access to paid test prep and college-going resources.
Implementing ACT test prep in your school provides something for everyone: For districts, it strengthens college and career readiness; for educators, it builds student confidence and direction; and for students, it opens new possibilities.
