Technology Programs Help Prepare Students for College

Two new technology programs which will help students and their parents access information and prepare for college will be implemented into the school district in March.

Students and parents will now have access to Naviance, a program which provides guidance to students and their families in regards to colleges and careers, and Accuplacer which works as both a diagnostic tool and a college readiness tool.

During last Thursday’s meeting, board members and administrators explained the benefits of both programs.

 Naviance is geared towards students grades 8 through 11. Both students and their parents will have access to information about colleges, careers and salaries.  Information regarding majors and extracurricular activities at schools of interest is also available.

The entire college application process can be completed online, Dr. Mark Porto, superintendent of schools, said.  Teacher recommendations can be uploaded right to a students file.   

The number of colleges connected to Naviance continues to grow making the whole process more fluid, board member Richard Parodi said. Students will be given school district email addresses to use for this program.

The Accuplacer program is a college readiness tool that almost every college utilizes to determine whether students need remedial assistance in English or math. Porto explained that the goal is to give all students in grade 10 Accuplacer to determine if they are college ready. If they are not they have grades 11 and 12 to work on their college readiness.