[ISTA-talk]Sun Times: State's ACT scores continue to climb

[Cayata Dixon]

State's ACT scores continue to climb

August 15, 2001

BY DAVE NEWBART STAFF REPORTER

For the fourth time in the past five years, Illinois scores rose on the ACT,
the national college assessment test.

The mean score achieved by Illinois high school seniors was 21.6, one-tenth
of a point higher than last year and an increase of four-tenths of a point
since the 1996-1997 school year. A score of 36 is the highest possible on
the test, which is used for college admissions.

The five-year increase is higher than that of any of the 25 states where the
ACT is taken by more than half of all graduating seniors. Only three of
those states' scores rose over last year.

Officials attributed the gains in Illinois and nationwide to more students
taking the core courses needed to go to college. That includes four years of
English, three years of math, three years of social studies and three years
of science.

The number of students who report taking that curriculum nationwide rose to
63.6 percent of test takers, up from 51 percent in 1991.

"I'm ecstatic,'' said Glenn W. "Max" McGee, Illinois superintendent of
education. "These data corroborate that school districts are really devoting
a lot of time and energy toward continuous improvement.''

Twenty-five Illinois graduates scored a perfect score on the test, more than
any other state. Nationwide, 89 students scored a 36.

More than 89,300 students, or 71 percent of all graduates, took the test
statewide. The state's mean score ranks fifth of the 25 states where more
than 50 percent of graduates took the test. Wisconsin, with a mean score of
22.2, ranked first.

Illinois' mean score was above the national average, which remained at 21
for the fifth consecutive year.

Even though scores nationally remained flat, ACT officials said the results
were positive because the total number of students taking the test has
increased 11 percent since 1996-97 to 1.07 million. That represents 38
percent of all graduates, said Don Carstensen, vice president of educational
services for ACT, which is based in Iowa City.

Carstensen said the 1990s were the only decade in which scores either rose
or stayed the same every year.

John Easton said part of the reason for the increase has shown up in his
research as deputy director of the Consortium on Chicago Public School
Research at the University of Chicago. Preliminary data show that Chicago
students are taking tougher courses and performing better, he said.

The Illinois results do not include students who took the test as part of
the Prairie State Achievement Exam, which all juniors took for the first
time in 2000-2001. 

Illinois officials plan to release the results of those tests in September.
McGee acknowledged those results will probably show a drop in ACT scores,
because more students took the test.


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