GEAR UP Initiative

 

Skill Building

Non-Negotiable Skills Level 1

The Non-Negotiable Skills curriculum provides a rigorous, comprehensive review of the skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond. The Level 1 material is designed for students scoring in the 13–15 range on the ACT test and the 400–780 range on the SAT test. The curriculum focuses on the review and mastery of core academic skills. Each subject (English, Math, Reading, and Science) includes 15 units (each unit features 1 hour of content), and each unit features a lesson and a practice exercise that can be used in class or assigned as homework. Two mastery tests are provided for each subject to measure student progress.

Non-Negotiable Skills PrepCast – Level 1

Structured according to a set of NASSP-recommended non-negotiable skills and built on the College Readiness Standards™, Cambridge’s online Non-Negotiable Skills™ series is effective at filling skill gaps in the middle school grades and creating a firm foundation for high school and testing success.  Each level corresponds to a different score range.*  Level 1 is optimal for seventh and eighth graders while level 2 is appropriate for eighth and ninth graders to review and master the core academic skills needed for high school success.  The textbook presents content and practices for improvement in grammar, reading, writing, vocabulary, math, and science skills.  Each unit includes Lessons, In-Class Practice, and Summaries and Exercises.  In addition, each subject includes Mastery Quizzes for performance monitoring.

* Level 1 score range: 13-15 ACT and 400-780 SAT

Non-Negotiable Skills Level 2

The Non-Negotiable Skills curriculum provides a rigorous, comprehensive review of the skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond. The Level 2 material is designed for students scoring in the 16–19 range on the ACT test and the 790–930 range on the SAT test. The curriculum focuses on the review and mastery of core academic skills. Each subject (English, Math, Reading, and Science) includes 15 units (each unit features 1 hour of content), and each unit features a lesson and a practice exercise that can be used in class or assigned as homework. Two mastery tests are provided for each subject to measure student progress.

Non-Negotiable Skills PrepCast – Level 2

Structured according to a set of NASSP-recommended non-negotiable skills and built on the College Readiness Standards™, Cambridge’s online Non-Negotiable Skills™ series is effective at filling skill gaps in the middle school grades and creating a firm foundation for high school and testing success.  Each level corresponds to a different score range.*  Level 1 is optimal for seventh and eighth graders while level 2 is appropriate for eighth and ninth graders to review and master the core academic skills needed for high school success.  The textbook presents content and practices for improvement in grammar, reading, writing, vocabulary, math, and science skills.  Each unit includes Lessons, In-Class Practice, and Summaries and Exercises.  In addition, each subject includes Mastery Quizzes for performance monitoring.

* Level 2 score range: 16-19 ACT and 780-930 SAT

Non-Negotiable Skills Level 3

The Non-Negotiable Skills curriculum provides a rigorous, comprehensive review of the skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond. The Level 3 material is designed for students scoring in the 21–23 range on the ACT test and the 940–1100 range on the SAT test. The curriculum focuses on the review and mastery of core academic skills. Each subject (English, Math, Reading, and Science) includes 15 units (each unit features 1 hour of content), and each unit features a lesson and a practice exercise that can be used in class or assigned as homework. Two mastery tests are provided for each subject to measure student progress.

Victory for the PSAT Test

Cambridge’s Victory for the PSAT® 8/9, PSAT 10, and PSAT/NMSQT Tests text is packed with core content review and over 500 reinforcement items.  The resource allows the teachers to maximize instructional time and provide content and test-strategy items in all three subject areas tested on the PSAT and SAT tests, covering only those sections most needed by the students as provided by their computer-generated lesson plans. 

The Victory teacher guide systematically presents core content and skills, test-taking strategies, and explanations to all classroom text exercises, quizzes, and tests. The course concept outlines help instructors guide students through well-defined content review. Student text items are included in the teacher’s guide for a more user-friendly teaching experience

Essential Skills

The Non-Negotiable Skills curriculum provides a rigorous, comprehensive review of the skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond. The Level 1 material is designed for students scoring in the 13–15 range on the ACT test and the 400–780 range on the SAT test. The curriculum focuses on the review and mastery of core academic skills. Each subject (English, Math, Reading, and Science) includes 15 units (each unit features 1 hour of content), and each unit features a lesson and a practice exercise that can be used in class or assigned as homework. Two mastery tests are provided for each subject to measure student progress.

Online Essential Skills Lab

This online course contains core skills review lessons and exercises that will enable students to review material that they may have forgotten, learn new material that they may not yet have learned; and master the skills required to answer more difficult multiple-choice items on standardized tests.  The course addresses four groups of skills: English and Writing, Reading, Math, and Science, and each group of skills is addressed at three levels: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced.

Each skill is introduced with a brief lesson and examples. Then the skill is tested through an exercise. Students can read the lesson and examples and then test their understanding with the exercise.  Students can work through the course either by starting at the beginning of a specific group of skills (or a specific level) and work through it to the end, or by focusing on specific skills they need to review the most, as guided by their teachers.

Capstone

PrepCast for the ACT® Test

PrepCast for the ACT® Test is a comprehensive video course that brings some of the world’s best teachers directly to your students. The course, which has over 60 hours of prep, includes:

  • 18 hours of video instruction

  • 12 quizzes

  • 4 full-length practice tests

  • Essential Skills supplemental e-material for bonus skills review

Students receive a course workbook (Cambridge’s Victory for the ACT® Test) to follow along with the videos and can complete the quizzes and tests either in their workbooks or in an interactive online environment. Teachers are also able to view see students’ online activity including time spent completing online activities and grades for quizzes and tests completed online.

PrepCast for the SAT® Test

PrepCast for the SAT® Test is a comprehensive video course that brings some of the world’s best teachers directly to your students. The course, which has over 60 hours of prep, includes:  

  • 18 hours of video instruction

  • 12 quizzes

  • 4 full-length practice tests

  • Essential Skills supplemental e-material for bonus skills review

Students receive a course workbook (Cambridge’s Victory for the SAT® Test) to follow along with the videos and can complete the quizzes and tests either in their workbooks or in an interactive online environment. Teachers are also able to view see students’ online activity including time spent completing online activities and grades for quizzes and tests completed online.

Victory for the ACT® Test

Cambridge’s Victory for the ACT® Test is designed to maximize instructional time by allowing teachers to choose the material most appropriate to the immediate instructional goal.  With over 40 hours of core content review and over 500 reinforcement items, the Victory set gives teachers content and test-strategy items in all three subject areas tested on the ACT test.  Teachers cover only those sections most needed by their students as shown on their computer-generated lesson plans.

Cambridge’s Victory for the ACT® Test teacher guide systematically presents core content and skills, test-taking strategies, and explanations to all classroom text exercises, quizzes, and tests. The course concept outlines help instructors guide students through well-defined content review. Student text items are included in the teacher’s guide for a more user-friendly teaching experience.

Victory for the SAT® Test

Cambridge’s Victory for the SAT® Test is designed to maximize instructional time by allowing teachers to choose the material most appropriate to the immediate instructional goal.  With over 40 hours of core content review and over 500 reinforcement items, the Victory set gives teachers content and test-strategy items in all three subject areas tested on the SAT test.  Teachers cover only those sections most needed by their students as shown on their computer-generated lesson plans.

Cambridge’s Victory for the SAT® Test teacher guide systematically presents core content and skills, test-taking strategies, and explanations to all classroom text exercises, quizzes, and tests. The course concept outlines help instructors guide students through well-defined content review. Student text items are included in the teacher’s guide for a more user-friendly teaching experience.

ACT PrepCast Package

  • Practice Test
    Cambridge provides an off-record, real retired ACT test to ensure that your student has as authentic a testing experience as possible and receives an accurate score baseline and summary of skill gaps.  Upon completion of the practice test, your student will immediately have access to online reports.  These reports allow your student to evaluate success on each section of the test while providing a comprehensive breakdown of each test item: its category, the correct answer, how the student answered each item, and any items that were left blank. Students can use these reports and their test booklet to revisit problems and determine how to answer similar questions correctly on the real test.

  • ACT PrepCast

    PrepCast for the ACT® Test is a comprehensive video course that brings some of the world’s best teachers directly to your students. The course, which has over 60 hours of prep, includes:

    ·         18 hours of video instruction
    ·         12 quizzes
    ·         4 full-length practice tests
    ·         Essential Skills supplemental e-material for bonus skills review

    Students receive a course workbook (Cambridge’s Victory for the SAT® Test) to follow along with the videos and can complete the quizzes and tests either in their workbooks or in an interactive online environment. Teachers are also able to view see students’ online activity including time spent completing online activities and grades for quizzes and tests completed online.

SAT PrepCast Package

  • Practice Test
    Cambridge provides a College Board-written SAT practice test to ensure that your student has as authentic a testing experience as possible and receives an accurate score baseline and summary of skill gaps.  Upon completion of the practice test, your student will immediately have access to online reports. These reports allow your student to evaluate success on each section of the test while providing a comprehensive breakdown of each test item: its category, the correct answer, how the student answered each item, and any items that were left blank. Students can use these reports and their test booklet to revisit problems and determine how to answer similar questions correctly on the real test.

  • PrepCast for the SAT® Test

    ·         PrepCast for the SAT® Test is a comprehensive video course that brings some of the world’s best teachers directly to your students. The course, which has over 60 hours of prep, includes:

    ·         18 hours of video instruction
    ·         12 quizzes
    ·         4 full-length practice tests
    ·         Essential Skills supplemental e-material for bonus skills review

    Students receive a course workbook (Cambridge’s Victory for the SAT® Test) to follow along with the videos and can complete the quizzes and tests either in their workbooks or in an interactive online environment. Teachers are also able to view see students’ online activity including time spent completing online activities and grades for quizzes and tests completed online.

College Transition

AccelePrep for the ACT® Test

Cambridge’s AccelePrep for the ACT Test has been designed for those that want a highly concise and focused prep course.  The systematic and fast-track approach allows students to review content while learning all about the “ins and outs” of the ACT test.  This book allows students to learn how to effectively navigate test content, avoid common errors and distractors, apply powerful test-taking strategies, and experience high-value item types that offer the best return on preparation.  One full-length practice test is included to allow students to hone their test-taking abilities and put their new knowledge to practice, a key action for preparing for the ACT.

The teacher’s guide helps teachers to efficiently and effectively teach a concise, accelerated ACT test prep course.  The book is all inclusive with the student text and highlights AccelePrep exclusive tools such as mastering the AccelePrep method, test specifications and features, effective pacing, strategies, and power tip alerts.  In addition, teacher notes are provided that not only highlight the correct answer but provide explanations as to why incorrect answers are truly incorrect.

AccelePrep for the SAT® Test

Cambridge’s AccelePrep for the SAT Test has been designed for those that want a highly concise and focused prep course.  The systematic and fast-track approach allows students to review content while learning all about the “ins and outs” of the SAT test.  This book allows students to learn how to effectively navigate test content, avoid common errors and distractors, apply powerful test-taking strategies, and experience high-value item types that offer the best return on preparation.  One full-length practice test is included to allow students to hone their test-taking abilities and put their new knowledge to practice, a key action for preparing for the SAT.

The teacher’s guide helps teachers to efficiently and effectively teach a concise, accelerated SAT test prep course.  The book is all inclusive with the student text and highlights AccelePrep exclusive tools such as mastering the AccelePrep method, test specifications and features, effective pacing, strategies, and power tip alerts.  In addition, teacher notes are provided that not only highlight the correct answer but provide explanations as to why incorrect answers are truly incorrect.

College, Here I Come

Organized into four chapters, the College, Here I Come material has been developed by working with high school, college, and university experts. The program simplifies the college process by breaking it down into step-by-step instructions. Activities are designed to introduce your students to the college application process and college life. Below is a brief description of each chapter:

  1. Why Go to College
    What are the advantages of a college degree? Are there reasons not to go to college? How do students handle obstacles in their way to achieving a degree?

  2. Ace the College Application
    This section will guide students through their college preparation journey as they identify the schools to which they will send applications, take the college entrance exams, and write winning essays.

  3. Thrive in College
    In order to do their best in class, students need to find balance and develop good study habits. This section presents tips and exercises to hone time management and studying skills. In addition, going to college is a transition to adulthood, so this section includes a chapter on money management.

  4. Civic Responsibility 101
    The final section of the course will give students a taste of a college lecture. This section covers the foundations of government and our right to free speech. Teachers can lecture and encourage class discussion to give students a taste of the college experience.

College, Here I Am


The College Here I Am course takes a common-sense approach to teaching the skill and behaviors needed to make the college experience less stressful and more productive. The program provides instructional and practical exercises to target specific areas that are key to college success, both in and out of the classroom.  Organized into four chapters, the College, Here I Am online material has been developed by working with high school, college, and university experts. Below is a brief description of each chapter:

  1. Why Go to College
    This section focuses on embracing the vision of going to college such as future career planning, overcoming obstacles, networking strategies, building one’s resume and gaining experience.

  2. Path to Graduation
    This section focuses on the demands of the college classroom, placement tests, principles of college writing, communication with professors, success in the classroom.

  • Thrive in College
    In order to thrive in college, students not only need to well in their courses, but they need to master new responsibilities. This section presents tips and exercises regarding paying for classes, budgeting, time management, and building healthy relationships.

  1. Civic Responsibility 101
    The final section of the course will give students a taste of a college seminar and help them think through the importance of government.

Data

ACT® & SAT® Data Reports

The Student Summary report breaks down the total test score into section and individual test scores. The student can also observe strengths and weaknesses within specific categories for each subject test.

The Student Item Analysis provides a comprehensive breakdown of each item: its category (corresponding to the categories listed on the Student Summary), the correct answer, how the student answered each item, and any items that were left blank. Students can use this Item Analysis and consult the test booklet and re-consider problems they answered incorrectly or guessed on.

The Instructor Summary gives an overview of student subject and total scores as well as a summary of the group’s performance, allowing teachers to see how students performed in comparison with each other. Minimum and maximum scores show range and spotlight the highest and lowest performers.

The Error Analysis shows the number and percent of students selecting each option for each test item. The report breaks down each item into specific subcategories up to four levels deep. The ultra-refined reporting allows teachers to be more effective by addressing highly specific skill gaps. This report also allows teachers to see which answer choices posed the greatest challenge in terms of common distractors for the students.  The Error Analysis is specifically useful to department chairs when determining why large percentages of students have not mastered specific skills.

The Content Distribution Report report is like the Error Analysis report but goes a step further. By grouping items that test the same skill, this report allows teachers to more efficiently evaluate students’ performance within those specific skills areas.The Error Analysis and Content Distribution reports will illustrate those college and career readiness skills which require additional attention for mastery. Teachers will specifically benefit from knowing what categories of questions their students got wrong and where to focus their instruction.

The Formative Connection Report contains all of the Content Distribution report information in addition to data on how many students within each of the three score ranges selected each answer choice and what percentage of students in each score range selected the correct answer for each item. This in-depth analysis allows you to more effectively target skill gaps and differentiate instruction.

The Pre-Post Instructor Summary allows teachers a side-by-side comparison of scores while evaluating growth from the pre-test to the post-test.

Professional Development

Data Decoder – Teacher Professional Development

Teachers will take a dive into their own students’ data to understand how to effectively use the Cambridge data reports (reports may include Student Summary and Item Analysis, Instructor Summary, Error Analysis, Content Distribution, Formative Connection, Lesson Plans, and others) to more effectively address skill gaps and target instruction. Topics include the pre-assessment process and the importance of timely and accurate feedback, linking assessment items to instructional objectives and differentiating among learners to drive score increases across the spectrum of achievement. Teachers will also learn powerful test-taking strategies to incorporate in the classroom.

Implementation – Teacher Professional Development

Cambridge’s Implementation Professional Development provides teachers with a thorough understanding of how to effectively prepare students using any one of Cambridge’s test preparation materials such as Victory for the PSAT®, SAT® or ACT® Test, Essential Skills, AccelePrep for the ACT® or SAT® Test, Texas Success Initiative (TSI®) Assessment, Non-Negotiable Skills texts, and others.

Led by a Cambridge Master teacher and customized for your implementation model, your teachers will analyze the Cambridge Course Concept Outline, understand the instructional layout and progression of the Cambridge materials, consider different course structures and timings, learn how to target instruction based on ability levels while incorporating building basic skills into your program, review applicable Item Indexes and Crosswalks to Standards, explore the mechanics of the applicable test in terms of test structure, timing, content, frequency and skills for each section of the test (e.g. Writing, Language, Reading, Math, and Science), learn best practices for implementing and differentiating instruction, and gain insight into question types, concepts tested, common distractors, and assigning homework.  This professional development assumes use of Cambridge materials for a skill building or test preparation program.

Student Motivation Workshop

This workshop encourages students to set high expectations for educational and personal goals, and to start planning for the future now. Emphasizing the importance of attaining a high school diploma and conscientious preparation for a postsecondary plan, students receive career and college guidance all in the context of mastering skills and strategies for success on test day and beyond.  The workshop will focus on these sample topics and more:

  • Setting educational and personal goals with high expectations and planning for career and college achievement,

  • Understanding the importance of attaining a high school diploma,

  • Mastering skills and strategies necessary for high school graduation, a career or college,

  • Making the case for college,

  • Shedding light on the variety of college scholarships and college funding options,

  • Preparing and succeeding on the PSAT® and SAT®, and

  • Staying motivated and inspired to take charge of their future.

ACT® Test DeMystifier – Teacher Professional Development

Cambridge’s Test DeMystifier Professional Development gives teachers a thorough understanding of the ACT® test. Teachers learn about test mechanics including the test structure and format; timing of each subject test – English, Math, Reading, and Science; tested content and skills within each subject and in what proportion; and analysis of the Essay, including the passage, prompt, and expectations. With practice problems in English, Math, Reading, and Science, teachers learn high-value test-taking strategies for items most frequently encountered on the test and about evidence-based questions. Teachers also gain insight into the scoring of the tests and the aligned scale scores for any suite of exams.

PSAT®/SAT® Test DeMystifier – Teacher Professional Development

Cambridge’s Test DeMystifier Professional Development gives teachers a thorough understanding of the PSAT®/SAT® tests. Teachers learn about test mechanics including the test structure and format; timing of each subject test – Reading, Writing and Language, and Math; tested content and skills within each subject and in what proportion; and analysis of the Essay, including the passage, prompt, and expectations. With practice problems in Reading, Writing and Language, and Math, teachers learn high-value test-taking strategies for items most frequently encountered on the test; how different forms of “data” are integrated throughout the tests; how to address student-produced response questions, and about evidence-based questions. Teachers also gain insight into the scoring of the tests and the aligned scale scores for any suite of exams.

Cambridge Educational Services, Inc. offers and scores tests from ACT, Inc., The College Board, and other testing companies.  These are retired tests, intended for practice purposes only and not for official administration, and are based on high school curriculum as of the copyright dates of the tests.  Cambridge’s products and services, including its score reports, are not approved or endorsed by ACT, Inc., The College Board, or the other companies that develop the tests, and Cambridge has no affiliation with any of those entities.