With ACT scores of high schools junior declining for the fifth straight year an alarm bell has been sounded on the national level by the ACT organization.
According to the national testing company which administers a college and career standardized test in areas of reading, math, science, and English, the national average composite score for the class of 2022 dropped to 19.8. This is the first time 30 years that the national average composite score has dropped below 20, according to the testing company’s website.
The average score for Mississippi juniors increased from 17.3 in 2021 to 17.4 in 2022, according to the Mississippi Department of Education website. The percentage of juniors meeting the benchmark scores for all four tested ACT subjects increased from 8.9% in 2021 to 9.3% in 2022.
For Newton County juniors results were mixed and hovered near the state composite average with only Union being about 1 point away from the national composite average. Lake High School and Newton High School juniors composite scores bucked national trends and increase by about 1 point while Sebastopol, Union and Newton County all decreased by about 1 point.
Scores for Mississippi public school students who graduated in 2022 decreased from 17.8 to 17.5, though the average composite superscore was 20.7. Superscores are generated when students take the ACT multiple times and the student’s best scores from each of the four tested ACT subjects are combined.
The ACT is designed to predict how well students will perform in college, and colleges use standardized tests like the ACT to compare students across schools and states. According to the ACT website, Mississippi is one of 15 states that administers the ACT to all high school juniors.
“High schools should continue to challenge students through higher levels of English, math and science courses to improve student performance on the ACT,” said Dr. Kim Benton, state superintendent of education, interim. “Families are encouraged to work with high school counselors to ensure students are taking courses that will equip them for success now and after graduation.”
Tyler Hansford, superintendent for Union Public School District, said his school district understands the slight dip in averages, but also notes the district made changes to help students improve their scores.
“Certainly, the effects of the pandemic contributed to that (the decrease), but I believe it’s also just a function of numbers and math,” Hansford said. “We don’t really focus a whole lot on the composite because scores on the extreme ends of the scale can skew that. We really focus on individual students and trying to target their individual needs when it comes to prep for the ACT because they’re different, and they all have strengths and areas in which they can improve.”
To help Union students improve scores three teachers have received ACT certifications in the four major testing areas, and students can now take an ACT prep class during the school day. Also as part of the WIN (What I Need) program students can seek out additional ACT prep help on Wednesday afternoons.
“More than anything though, we just try make sure our students are receiving quality instruction across the board,” Hansford said. “We’re blessed with a great faculty that prides itself on outcomes for students. Success on the ACT, or any other assessment, is a by product of that.”
Assistant Superintendent of Scott County Schools, which includes Lake High School where scores went up by one point and Sebastopol where scores went down by the same amount, noted that some instructional changes were implemented in the 2021-22 school year to put emphasis on ACT results and instruction.
“During the 2021 - 2022 school year we began to be intentional with instruction for ACT preparatory classes and feeder classes,” Harrison said. “We encouraged schools to highlight ACT scores that were 20 or higher. This was also the first year the SCSD had a 10th grade testing day. So, all 10th graders were given the opportunity to take the ACT test during the school day. The biggest impact is the importance that has been placed on ACT performance by our teachers, school administrators, and central office administrators.”
“Although we are not where we want to be, in a period of three years we have almost tripled the number of students who take the ACT test within a school year, and we are continuously ensuring that our instructional practices are reflective of student achievement.” Harrison said.
