Each Albert Lea High School junior will have a chance to take the ACT test during a school day in April.

The district will offer the test April 19 due to a change in state statute in 2013 that required school districts to offer the ACT to all juniors on the state’s dime.

The test, expected to take about five hours, must start by 9 a.m. Students will have two breaks and a lunch.

A makeup date will be available May 3.

Albert Lea Area Schools Director of Secondary Education Kathy Niebuhr said this is the second year the district has offered each junior the opportunity to take the test.

She said the test will benefit students and staff, and it will provide the school a baseline of where it should be investing time to make sure students are ready for college or careers.

The district is focusing on improving writing scores this year and is looking at installing a college algebra course next year.

Niebuhr said the first year of the test went well.

“I think our kids took it seriously and were well-prepared,” she said.

She said the first year of the test gave the district an opportunity to measure student growth on a large scale.

“It was a great opportunity for all of our kids to experience that kind of national test,” Niebuhr said.

Juniors are able to opt out of taking the ACT test with no graduation requirement implications.

The district will offer the John Baylor Prep ACT course beginning Feb. 29 until April 18, the day before the test.

The course will feature 12 videos that cover each of the four sections of the ACT: English, mathematics, science and reading. Students can view the the videos either at home or in school.

Students will have time built in during the morning course to watch the videos and work on the homework with an instructor.