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How Alabama’s Cullman County Improved ACT Readiness Across Seven Schools

Following a successful 2023–24 pilot, Cullman County Schools expanded its districtwide MasteryPrep implementation and has since seen measurable improvement across every ACT subject area.

  • Onalee Smith
  • November 4, 2025

After years of relying on traditional test prep programs focused on quick tips and tricks, Cullman County Schools in north-central Alabama wanted more for their students. Leaders and teachers alike were ready for an approach that built true college readiness, not just better test-takers.

That vision led Cullman County to MasteryPrep two years ago. Since then, the district’s seven high schools have seen measurable academic growth across all subjects—at Fairview High School, 59% of students improved their composite score within a year—fueled by stronger student engagement and a new culture around ACT preparation.

“We needed something that went beyond test-taking strategies,” says Kim Lindsey, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator for Cullman County Schools. “Our teachers wanted tools that actually helped students learn the content.”

Cullman County Schools: Increases in Students Meeting ACT Benchmarks (2024-2025)

Reading
+5 Percentage Points
ELA
+6 Percentage Points
Math and Science
+2 Percentage Points
  • Pilot Sparked Districtwide Momentum

The turning point came when Holly Pond High School in Cullman County piloted MasteryPrep’s live services and platform during the 2023–24 school year—everything from Curriculum and Practice Testing to Professional Development and Boot Camps. This approach allowed educators to see the full impact.

According to Lindsey, teachers noticed immediate engagement from students who appreciated seeing real-time results on the platform. Students who once dreaded test prep began tracking their progress and setting personal goals.

“Once we saw the results at Holly Pond, both in student confidence and in scores, we knew it was worth expanding,” Lindsey says. The pilot’s success convinced district leaders to use MasteryPrep at all seven high schools the following year.

  • Scaling Up: Districtwide Implementation with Local Flexibility

For 2024-25, Cullman County launched a full rollout of MasteryPrep for the ACT, including:

Professional Development

Practice Testing & Analysis

Curriculum

Online Course

Bell Ringers

Boot Camps

To start, Lindsey organized districtwide professional development. All English, math, science, and history teachers participated in full-day training sessions led by a MasteryPrep instructor, who combined platform instruction with curriculum integration.

“Teachers walked away equipped with both the content knowledge and the tools to implement it, however they thought would work best,” Lindsey says.

Importantly, Cullman County Schools didn’t prescribe a one-size-fits-all model, allowing each school some flexibility in how it approached implementation, which helped with districtwide buy-in. At Fairview High School, Chris Howse teaches ACT and Enrichment classes and serves on the district’s ACT data team. His school has an entire class period dedicated to ACT readiness.

“The district gives us the tools and lets us use them in ways that work for our students,” Howse says. Meanwhile, West Point High School established a “Warrior Period,” in which all students rotate through ACT subject areas every six weeks.

  • Data That Informs Instruction

With all of Cullman County’s schools now using MasteryPrep’s Practice Testing & Analysis tools, district leaders have a clearer view of student performance and instructional needs.

“We use the data as a gauge,” Lindsey says. “It helps us see whether students are coming in unprepared or stronger than expected, and it guides what teachers focus on next.”

Every 9th, 10th, and 11th grader takes a full-length practice test at the beginning of the year, followed by diagnostics, and schools have the option to deliver midyear practice testing. Teachers use that data to group students for targeted interventions and tailor lessons around specific skill gaps. And that has “made all the difference,” Howse says.

“It allows administrators and teachers to see if there’s a glaring content hole,” Howse says. “If we notice that students across schools are struggling with geometry, we can immediately go address that.”

  • How Boot Camps Energize the Community

As of last school year, all Cullman County juniors participate in a full-day Boot Camp for the ACT, held in the spring and designed to motivate, teach, and celebrate students ahead of test day.

“Our Boot Camps became community events,” Lindsey says. “Local businesses provided meals and prizes. Teachers attended with their students. And it created real momentum.”

That momentum was tangible at Fairview High, where Howse and his team added extra touches with fast food lunches, T-shirts, and gift cards for students who demonstrated effort or improved their scores.

“If kids see results early, they’ll stay engaged,” Howse says. “The Boot Camps help us celebrate that progress and keep them motivated.”

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  • Teachers as Champions, Not Just Facilitators

Teachers across the district embrace the program’s focus on targeted practice and student growth. Many weave MasteryPrep Bell Ringers and Curriculum lessons into their daily instruction.

“Teachers realized it’s not about sending students to a computer and walking away,” Howse says. “It’s about guiding them, encouraging them, and helping them see progress.”

Students have responded positively to that encouragement. Many who once struggled building confidence began to believe improvement was possible.

“Students felt more ready going into the ACT because they had more tools,” Lindsey says. “Counselors told us they saw students actually excited to test, and that’s new.”

“Teachers realized it’s not about sending students to a computer and walking away. It’s about guiding them, encouraging them, and helping them see progress.”

Chris Howse
Fairview High Scool

Cullman County now begins the school year with early PD for new teachers, updated platform training, and data reviews that inform instruction across schools. While each school implements the program in its own way, those few common districtwide practices create a foundation that makes it easier to compare results and share what works.

“Anything we can do the same across the district gives us better insight when results come back,” Lindsey says. “If everyone’s using the same approach, we can see what’s working and adjust together.”

Cullman County Schools’ partnership with MasteryPrep shows how intentional leadership, empowered teachers, and engaged students can redefine what test prep means, turning it from a short-term fix into a lasting culture of readiness.

“MasteryPrep makes scientific sense,” Howse says. “If you fix the right problems, you’ll see results.”

  • Measurable Outcomes: From Scores to ‘Aha!’ Moments

Between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, the district saw measurable improvement across every ACT subject area, according to Lindsey.

  • The percentage of students meeting benchmarks in Reading rose by 5 points
  • That figure for ELA increased by 6 percentage points
  • Math and Science readiness each climbed 2 percentage points

While those gains might sound modest at first glance, they represent hundreds of students who crossed critical thresholds for college readiness. “That’s what matters most,” Lindsey says. “Those students are now in a different place when it comes to scholarships, college admission, and belief in their own abilities.”

At Fairview High School, nearly 60% of students who took both the Pre-ACT and ACT improved their composite scores in one year. Almost every student who started in the higher-performing range (22 and above) continued to improve, and lower-performing students gained an average of 4 to 5 points.

“Some of these students didn’t even benchmark before,” says Howse. “Now they know how to study and how to take a test. They’ve learned how to identify weaknesses and fix them.”

Howse attributes the progress to a combination of consistent exposure and targeted feedback. Students now take ownership of their results.

“It’s not about one Boot Camp or one big test anymore,” Howse says. “It’s about steady improvement. Students can see where they started and how far they’ve come, and that changes their mindset.”

Unpaid testimonial. Individual results may vary, and testimonials are not claimed to represent typical results. The ACT results reported are courtesy of Cullman County Schools. All testimonials are real participants, and may not reflect the typical user’s experience, and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results.

Picture of About the Author: Onalee Smith
About the Author: Onalee Smith

Onalee Smith is a content marketer and writer with over 15 years of experience helping brands tell better stories. She specializes in editorial strategy and SEO-driven content that connects with audiences and drives measurable results. Her work spans industries including education, publishing, and professional services. Onalee began her career marketing children’s and young adult literature, collaborating with bestselling authors and national literacy programs. Today, she partners with mission-driven organizations to craft content that informs and inspires. She holds degrees in Editing, Writing, and Media Studies, as well as International Affairs, from Florida State University. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, she enjoys hiking, spending time with her pets, and pursuing her hobby of floral design.

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How Alabama’s Cullman County Improved ACT Readiness Across Seven Schools

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