Nevada scores down

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2004 | 11:23 a.m.

The percentage of Nevada students who took the 2003-04 ACT college entrance exam and their average score showed minor dips from the previous year, although state students still scored above the national average.

A report released today by the testing company shows 33 percent of Nevada students took the ACT last year, with an average score of 21.2. A perfect score is 36. Last year 34 percent of Nevada students participated in the ACT with an average score of 21.3.

Clark County School District students had an average score of 21.0 on the 2004 ACT, the same result as the previous year, said Sue Daellenbach, director of testing for the district.

In Clark County education officials have been encouraging more students to take not only the ACT but the SAT as well, said Jane Kadoich, director of guidance and counseling for the district. Beginning with the 2004-05 academic year all sophomores will take the PSAT, a warm-up to the full college entrance exam.

The National Merit Scholarship Foundation uses PSAT scores as a first step in identifying potential scholarship recipients.