How Hoover City Schools Transformed ACT® Prep

Located just outside Birmingham, Alabama, Hoover City Schools serves over 13,000 students across 16 schools. Known for academic excellence, strong community support, and a commitment to innovation, the district includes two large and diverse high schools, Hoover High School and Spain Park High School.

Despite its reputation as a homogeneous, affluent district, Hoover City Schools has become more diverse over time. With over 2,800 students, Hoover High School has a population that is 48% minority and 32% economically disadvantaged. Spain Park High School, with approximately 1,500 students, reflects similar demographics with a population that is 39% minority and 28% economically disadvantaged. School leaders have embraced this shift as an opportunity to evolve.

“People still view Hoover as a traditionally affluent district, but the reality is that we’ve changed a lot,” said Jennifer Lowe, Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction. “With that change comes the need to reframe how we approach teaching and learning. Our students have changed, and we have to change with them.”

The Challenge: ACT® Prep Without the Prep

In Alabama, the ACT® is the official state accountability test, taken by all public high school juniors. Although students take the pre-ACT® in 10th grade, there has historically been a gap in preparation during the earlier high school years. Hoover City Schools saw the problem clearly: students were expected to perform well on a high-stakes test without a consistent, strategic lead-up.

That’s where [Progress Learning] came in.

“When I joined Hoover City Schools three years ago, it was the first year they were using [Progress Learning],” Lowe explained. “I wasn’t part of the selection process, but I’ve been deeply involved in the implementation, and I’ve seen its impact.”

A Simple, Thoughtful Implementation

Hoover’s approach to rolling out Progress Learning was intentional and smooth. Teachers were given time to explore the platform, and Progress Learning’s support made the transition seamless.

“We are now in our third year with Progress Learning, and it’s second nature,” Lowe shared. “Our teachers know what to expect, and they see the value. It’s not just another thing on their plates. It’s aligned to the ACT®, and that alignment makes all the difference.” 

Freshmen at both high schools take the Progress Learning benchmark assessment in the fall and again in the spring. This early exposure gives them a realistic preview of what’s to come while allowing teachers to identify needs early and adjust instruction accordingly.

Making Data Work, Together

What sets Hoover apart is what they do after the test. Each department’s Professional Learning Community (PLC) meets with Lowe to dive into their data. Together, they identify skill gaps, discuss instructional strategies, and make decisions on how to support students more effectively.

“We really try to make the data meaningful,” Lowe said. “We talk about what it says, what we’re seeing in the classroom, and how it connects.”

Incentives have also played a creative role in student motivation. “Some PLCs offer small rewards for students who show growth on the spring Horizon assessment, such as bonus points on an exam. It’s not huge, but to a student, it feels significant.”

Turning Data into Action

District data meetings happen three to four times a year, bringing together leadership from both high schools to look at trends across cohorts and assessments, including Progress Learning, pre-ACT®, and ACT®. These conversations help leaders reflect, collaborate, and plan ahead.

Lowe also draws inspiration from across the district. After a recent meeting, she was inspired by an elementary school principal who holds individual data conferences with teachers. “I want to try that at the high school level next year. It’s more personal, and I think it will help teachers really connect with the data. If we’re not talking about the data, everything else we’re doing loses its purpose.”

A Real-Time Look at Student Needs

Although Hoover has seen strong gains in previous years, this year’s data revealed a dip in performance across the board, a trend many districts are seeing post-COVID. But rather than see it as a setback, Lowe views it as valuable information.

“The data matched what teachers were seeing in the classroom: lower maturity levels, more gaps. These students were in elementary school during the heart of the pandemic, and we’re just now seeing those long-term effects.” Even without headline-making gains, Progress Learning’s assessments gave teachers the insight they needed to respond thoughtfully and proactively.

What’s Next: Staying the Course with Purpose

Looking ahead, Hoover City Schools is focused on continuing the work and doing it well. That means refining their data use, improving how information is shared with teachers, and creating continuity across grade levels.

One major project for the summer? Creating longitudinal student profiles that track performance from freshman year to junior year. “We want teachers to be able to pull up a student roster and see where each student started and how they’ve grown. That kind of ownership can really help teachers see the ACT® as more than a state test.”

Hoover City Schools is a great example of how thoughtful planning, consistent implementation, and a strong commitment to data can transform a district’s approach to ACT® readiness. Through their partnership with Progress Learning, they’ve created a sustainable system that empowers both educators and students, and they’re just getting started.