's class of 2012 demonstrated that they are beyond college-readiness as measured by the ACT, according to a school district press release, based on high-scoring numbers recently released by the college testing non-profit.
Mercer Island's student composite scores of the four tests average 26.7 from 205 tests scored, compared to 22.9 for students statewide.
School officials said consistent ACT performance over five years attests to the common focus, high expectations, rigorous curriculum, student counseling and the measurement and evaluation of student progress at MIHS. Last year, 186 students took the test and earned a composite score of 27.3. In 2010, 216 students took the exam and earned a 26.5 average composite score.
The ACT — usually viewed as an alternative to the SAT exam — is a series of curriculum-based tests of educational development in English, mathematics, reading, and science designed to measure the skills needed for success in the first year college coursework.
“I am very proud of our students and staff for their outstanding performance on these important benchmarks of college-readiness,” said Superintendent Gary Plano.
Washington’s average composite score of 22.9 was the nation’s fifth highest, behind students in Massachusetts (24.1), Connecticut and New Hampshire (23.8), Maine and New Jersey (23.4) and New York (23.3) and tied with Rhode Island. Scores are scaled from 1 (lowest) to 36 (highest). This year’s national average composite score was 21.1. Just over 21 percent of Washington 12th graders (13,929) took the ACT in the 2011‒12 school year, a record for ACT participation in this state.
“Our scores and participation rate on national assessments continue to rise,” State Superintendent Randy Dorn said. “The students who take these tests are planning for their future and performing at a high level.”
(Ed. Note: Information in the article is taken from a MISD press release.)
