Last Updated on Saturday, January 05, 2008 at 10:01 PM
News Release 07-067 -- August 15, 2007
(FRANKFORT, Ky.) -- The average composite ACT score for Kentucky's year 2007 college-bound high school seniors gained slightly over the 2006 composite score, the Kentucky Department of Education and the Council on Postsecondary Education announced today.
The 2007 composite is 20.7, compared to 2006’s composite of 20.6. Nationally, the 2007 composite score was 21.2, a gain of 0.1 from 2006.
In 2007, 30,929 (77 percent) Kentucky public and nonpublic high school graduates took the test, compared to 1990, when 24,942 Kentucky graduates (62 percent) did.
ACT asks test-takers to report the courses they took in high school. Over the past 17 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the percentage of Kentucky students reporting that they are taking ACT's recommended core courses. The number of students who report taking ACT's core curriculum has increased by more than 10,000 students since 1990. In 2007, 58 percent of Kentucky high schoolers who took the ACT noted on surveys that they also took the recommended core courses. However, that percentage is likely higher due to differences in course names and non-completion of surveys.
Number Tested / Number Taking Rigorous Courses
1990 24,942 / 7,088 (28%)
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2000 29,670 / 13,885 (47%)
2001 30,084/ 14,506 (48%)
2002 29,532 / 17,274 (58%)
2003 29,877 / 17,557 (59%)
2004 29,581 / 17,738 (60%)
2005 29,943 / 18,114 (60%)
2006 29,786 / 17,705 (59%)
2007 30,929 / 17,449 (58%)
The overall ACT Assessment consists of tests in four areas: English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning. ACT recommends that college-bound students take four or more years of English; three or more years of mathematics (including algebra 1, algebra 2 and geometry); three or more years of social studies; and three or more years of natural sciences. ACT defines specific courses in these areas. Kentucky's graduation requirements define four credits in English; three in mathematics; three in social studies; three in science; one in history and appreciation of visual and performing arts; and one-half each in health and physical education.
ACT developed College Readiness Benchmarks in English, mathematics, science and reading, with research indicating that students who reach the levels have a high probability of earning a C grade or higher in certain credit-bearing first-year college courses. The benchmark scores are:
§ 18 or higher on the ACT English Test
§ 22 or higher on the ACT Math Test
§ 21 or higher on the ACT Reading Test
§ 24 or higher on the ACT Science Test
Among students in Kentucky:
- 67 percent met or surpassed the English benchmark, compared to 69 percent nationally
- 35 percent met or surpassed the math benchmark, compared to 43 percent nationally
- 50 percent met or surpassed the reading benchmark, compared to 53 percent nationally
- 24 percent met or surpassed the science benchmark, compared to 28 percent nationally
"The ACT results are valuable because they provide another means for Kentucky's secondary educators to focus attention on specific areas," said Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Noland. "Kentucky's students are making progress, and that is most evident when we look at long-term trends. These latest data do provide some concern in the performance of some groups of students in the state. It's imperative that we and the state's high school educators continue to turn our energies toward closing the achievement gaps."
Many Kentucky colleges and universities use ACT scores to inform admissions decisions and to place students in appropriate college courses. ACT scores also are used, along with high school grade point averages, to determine the amount of money high school graduates are eligible to receive through the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship program.
“Over the past five years, Kentucky's rate of improvement has exceeded the nation's in each ACT testing area,” said Tom Layzell, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education.
“More high school students graduating prepared for college is a mission critical to Kentucky’s future. With Senate Bill 130's statewide administration of the ACT, more Kentucky students will have college-going on their minds, and with statewide EPAS assessments in 8th and 10th grades, more students will get a head start in preparing for the ACT and getting ready for college.”
In comparing Kentucky with the nation, the widest gap in performance among students was in overall mathematics scores (1 point) and the smallest was in reading (0.3 point).
African-American students in Kentucky who took the college-bound curriculum performed similarly to African-American students at the national level. At both the national and state levels, the gap between the performance of African-American and white students persisted.
Over the past few years, the numbers of non-white students taking the ACT in Kentucky have risen. According to ACT, increases in student populations taking the test can lead to a drop in scores.
The composite score gaps between males and females of all ethnic groups in Kentucky were minimal in most subjects, with males posting a composite score of 20.8 and females a score of 20.5. On ACT, which offers only multiple-choice questions, males tend to outscore females in mathematics and science, and females tend to outscore males in English and reading.
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