ACT scores on rise in APS
We all know the ugly news that most New Mexico public schools are not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Now for some positive news out of the state's largest school district.
According to Albuquerque Public Schools officials, the district's 2008 graduates earned better scores on all sections of the ACT college entrance exam than the previous year’s graduating class. Even better still, on average, APS students also outperformed the rest of the state and nation.
“This is very positive news for APS and the Albuquerque community,” said first-year APS Superintendent Winston Brooks. “The ACT scores reflect efforts we are making to improve our high schools, with an ultimate goal of graduating more students and preparing them for college and careers.”
While the national ACT composite score for 2008 dipped slightly, from 21.2 in 2007 to 21.1, the composite average for APS students increased from 21.1 to 21.3. The average composite score for New Mexico graduates was 20.3. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36. The ACT is made up of four separate exams in English, reading, math, and science, plus and optional writing test. ACT scores are accepted at all major colleges and universities across the nation. You can compare New Mexico's scores to other state's scores here.
The average score for APS students increased in all four sections of the test: the English score increased from 20.6 to 20.9; the score in math went from 20.7 to 20.9; and the science score increased from 20.8 to 20.9. The largest gain was in reading, with an average score that went from 21.7 to 22.1.
The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement test designed to measure the skills and knowledge taught in school and deemed important for first-year college students to possess.
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