ACT scores continue modest gains for class of 2007

Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007 | 11:28 a.m.

America's high school class of 2007 posted a modest increase on ACT college entrance exams, extending the test's upward scoring trend and showing improved levels of college preparation. Nevada students' scores held steady - and were slightly higher than the national average.

The national average ACT composite score rose from 21.1 last year to 21.2 - on a scale of 1 to 36 - extending a recent pattern of slight but noticeable increases.

Nevada students earned a composite score of 21.5, unchanged from the last two years. Twenty-nine percent, or 5,562 of Nevada's 2007 graduating class took the test.

The ACT says one-year trends are not necessarily meaningful, but that the average scoring increase of 0.4 points since 2003 is significant, considering 1.3 million of this year's high school graduates took the test.

Still, the results highlight the persistent gap between preparation levels of high school graduates and the skills they need to do well in college. Only 23 percent of test-takers met a benchmark score that indicates readiness in a range of introductory core college courses.

In some states, growth is coming from relatively low scorers who may not have taken any standardized tests in the past and who weigh down average scores. But in other states, such as Connecticut, New Jersey and California, much of the growth appears to be from high achievers who also took the SAT and are increasingly trying the ACT as well in hopes of impressing selective colleges.

The ACT doesn't know how many students take both tests, but overall, 42 percent of this year's high school graduates took the ACT, up from 40 percent last year.

Most colleges accept both exams, but a growing number don't require standardized tests. The ACT, traditionally more popular in the South and Midwest, is more curriculum-based. The SAT - predominant on the East and West Coasts - focuses more on basic math, verbal and writing skills.

The national percentage of students who met benchmarks in English, science, math and reading rose from 21 percent to 23 percent. In Nevada, the latest figure is 22 percent.

Nationally, the average composite scores edged up in each of the four individual tests - English to 20.7, math to 21, reading to 21.5 and science to 21.

In individual subjects, Nevada's 2007 average scores are 21.2 in science, 21.4 in math, 20.8 in English and 22 in reading.

The ACT says the Nevada scores suggest the college readiness of the state's test-takers continues to fluctuate. The percent of those who met or surpassed ACT benchmarks went up slightly in science but dropped slightly in the other areas.

The ACT also reiterated its case for more rigorous high school coursework. It encourages students to take four years of English and three each of math, social studies and science. Students who took those courses or more averaged 22.0 on the exam; students who did not averaged 19.8.

SAT results for the class of 2007 will be released later this month.

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