Teacher ACT Workshop FAQs
What Professional Development Seminars do you offer on-site for ACT Preparation?
We offer two workshops for teachers that can be scheduled for PD days or Saturdays:
TAC is typically the first workshop to attend, followed by a TFS for more of a deep dive.
Teachers as ACT Coaches (TAC)
(5 hours)
The Teachers as ACT Coaches workshop trains teachers to organize and teach short (4 Hour to 16 Hour) ACT prep classes.
UPCOMING Teachers as ACT Coaches (TAC) Workshop
November 8th, 2025
at Focus On Learning Center
Live workshop attendance cost: $375.00
-or-
Contact us to Host a Professional Development Day at your school!
Who participates?
English, math, science, & social studies teachers who want to coach the ACT. Subject teachers are the best coaches, because they know the content of the test, and can answer questions general coaches can’t.
Where are they held?
- At Focus on Learning or on-site
- We encourage schools to offer the TAC as a PD day to avoid the cost of hiring substitutes. Schools often pool resources and attendees from multiple schools in their region for one 5 hour workshop.
- We hold these workshops in Missouri and beyond.
What are the goals?
- Familiarize teachers with the structure, content, and test taking strategies that are specific to the ACT.
- Offer short lesson plans geared to multiple levels of student performance. Students aiming for a composite of 18 will approach the test differently than one aiming for 28.
Teaching for ACT Success (TFS)
(5 hours)
Teaching for Success on the ACT: Learning Standards and the ACT: What’s a School to Do?
TFS familiarizes classroom teachers with the ACT and develops strategies to incorporate into daily lesson plans, or develop a semester long course.
UPCOMING Teaching for ACT Success (TFS) Workshop
Host your own live TFS workshop
Live workshop attendance cost: $375.00
Who participates?
English, math, science, & social studies teachers who want to coach the ACT as a full semester class, or integrate ACT Content and Strategies into the daily classroom environment. Subject teachers are the best coaches, because they know the content of the test, and can easily integrate concepts into existing lesson plans with this training.
Where are they held?
- At Focus on Learning, or on-site
- We encourage schools to offer the TFS as a PD day to avoid the cost of hiring substitutes. Multiple Schools often pool resources and attendees for one workshop.
- We hold these workshops in Missouri and beyond.
What are the goals?
- Familiarize classroom teachers with the topics found on the ACT and emphasized in State Learning Standards and show how they relate.
- Familiarize teachers with the purpose, format, and content of the ACT.
- Provide teachers with teaching strategies and extensive materials they can incorporate into their existing lesson plans.
Who are the facilitators for the TAC/TFS?
Dr. Traci Cox works with the English, reading, and writing tests.
Thomas Scharenborg, M.Ed., works with math and science tests.
What resources do participants receive?
All participants have access to a treasure trove of ACT handouts, worksheets, tips, PowerPoints, and more through our online resource portal(s). Post-seminar, participants are encouraged to communicate with Tom and Traci—whether that’s to ask questions, check in about current changes to the ACT test, or to bounce off ideas regarding innovative ways of utilizing Focus on Learning resources in their test prep courses, weekly class lesson plans, or Jump Start/ Fish Bowl lectures.
Who has FOL worked with recently?
- St. Louis Public Schools
- Wichita, KS Catholic Schools
- Jennings High School
- Arcadia Valley High School
- Blue Springs School District
- Independence School District
- Kearney High School
- Odessa High School
- Brentwood High School
- Camdenton High School
- Hazelwood School District
- Kansas City Public Schools
- Lincoln College Prep Academy
- Lee’s Summit North High School
- Lee’s Summit West High School
- Liberty Public Schools
- University of Missouri – Missouri College Advising Corp
- St. Joesph School District
- University Academy Charter School
- Glendale High School
- Licking High School
- Gestalt Community School – Memphis, TN
- Springfield Public Schools
- Madison High School – Richmond KY
- Perry County Central High School – Hazard, KY
- Bell County High School – Pineville, KY
- Nevada High School
- Secman High School
- Chaminade Preparatory Academy
- Clark County High School
- West County High School
- Lexington High School
- Mehlville High School
- Marionville High School
- Appleton City High School
- Blair Oaks High School
- Garland, KY
- El Dorado High School
- Jefferson High School
- Osceola Public Schools