Physics First Works

ACT © Test Performance and the Implementation of a Physics First Course Sequence 2000-2016 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY          A new high school science course sequence was evaluated using ACT section scores taken by 180-220 students each year over a seventeen year period.  The new sequence of high school science courses known as “Physics First” has all freshman take Physics, all sophomores take Chemistry, all juniors take Biology and in the senior year students can elect to take any of the sciences available and of interest to them.  This research looked at the performance of the 1100 student college preparatory urban private high school on the ACT test taken by students for college selection and scholarships.  The outcome of the new sequence was an immediate, rapid, statistically significant, large increases in every ACT section with scores rising during the transition and sustained for four years after the transition to "Physics F...