SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – An organization founded by a Louisiana native aims to help minority students raise their ACT scores and their ability to score college scholarships.

Angelica Harris, born and raised in New Orleans, founded Top Tutors for Us to help close the racial gap in standardized testing.

"What we know is that Black students, according to the ACT in 2023, only five percent of these students hit the college and career readiness benchmark, which means that only five percent scored above a 20. And as we know in Louisiana, a 20 is required to be eligible to receive TOPS scholarships," Harris said.

Although the ACT is no longer a graduation requirement in Louisiana, it is still required for college attendance, and students wishing to qualify for TOPS scholarships must score between 20 and 27 for the varying award levels.

Harris said her personal experience with the ACT. The first time she took the ACT, her score was a 16, and subsequent tests using traditional programs and strategies did not improve it. When she tried something different, she got a different result. By building a study program tailored to her needs, she raised her score by 16 points, earned more than $1.5M in scholarships, and became the original case study for Top Tutors for Us.

If GPA were an indicator of standardized test scores, Harris would have breezed through the ACT and scored through the roof. But what we know is that factors such as rigor, access to test prep resources, language proficiency, and culture contribute to outcomes on standardized tests.

Harris learned through her experience that connecting students, particularly underrepresented students, with tutors who look like them is crucial. She said her program consists of "Black and brown students with Black tutors that get them really, really big jumps in their scores."

According to the Hechinger Report, having a Black teacher, in particular, does a lot of good for students, especially minority students. Black students who have one Black teacher by third grade are 7% more likely to graduate high school and 13% more likely to enroll in college. The likelihood that Black students who have had at least two Black teachers enrolling in college jumps by 32%.

In addition to the information being presented to the students by someone with a similar background, Harris explained other factors that negatively impact minority student performance on standardized tests.

"We just start really late in the process. So we have less time to prepare. The second reason, as we know, the test is Eurocentric. The language, especially in the English and reading sections, is a new kind of way that we have to interpret concepts and materials, which is different from what we typically see in our classrooms."

Another and more glaring barrier to entry is the cost of test prep programs and materials, making it inaccessible for students from lower-income households.

"At Top Tutors for Us, what we do is we actually partner with schools and college-bound organizations, and students that are part of those partnering schools receive our program completely free," Harris said.

Tutors are recruited from some of the nation's most notable colleges and universities, who are vetted on test scores and leadership experience. Sessions and materials are available online. "What's really nice about being virtual is that we leverage an online classroom, an advanced online classroom where students literally feel like they're in a classroom with a whiteboard and have tons of practice interaction with the tutors and being virtual allows our students to meet tutors anytime, anywhere."

Before students get into sessions with tutors, an assessment is done to identify gaps in learning, and lesson plans are built to ensure those gaps are filled.

Harris suggests that students start taking the ACT as early as eighth grade to get a feel of the test. Here are other tips for families as students head back to school:

• Set a weekly practice goal: 20-30 minutes of ACT practice questions a few times a week can build confidence and skills over time.
• Use free resources: Take advantage of free online ACT practice tests and tools available.
• Read EVERY DAY: Strengthening reading comprehension is key not just for the ACT but for overall academic success.
• Know what's on the test: Parents are encouraged to help children review the ACT format to become familiar with it and avoid becoming overwhelmed.
• Seek support early: Don't wait until junior or senior year to start looking for tutoring resources.

Interested families can take advantage of a test prep and scholarship webinar hosted by Angelica Harris on Wednesday, August 20. For more information about Top Tutors for Us, visit their website to learn about costs and tutoring plans. School administrators or teachers interested in partnering with Top Tutors for Us or learning more about the program can email info@toptutorsforus.com.

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