ACT Participation Jumps; Scores Hold Steady

Georgia’s ACT scores remained steady in 2009 even as participation on the college entrance exam jumped by nearly nine percent in one year.

About 40 percent of Georgia’s 2009 graduating seniors took the ACT and had an average composite score of 20.6, the same as last year. The national average composite score was 21.1, also the same as 2008, according to ACT's annual report. Georgia seniors were tied for 40th on the ACT, up from 41st in 2008 and 47th in 2005.

- Georgia’s African American students had an average composite score of 17.4, higher than the national average of 16.9.
- Georgia’s Hispanic students had an average composite score of 20.0, higher than the national average of 18.7
- Georgia’s Caucasian students had an average composite score of 22.6, higher than the national average of 22.2

The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement test designed to measure college readiness and preparation. The ACT includes four separate exams in English, reading, mathematics and science. There is also an optional writing portion. The exam is scored on a scale from 0 to 36.

Readiness and Rigor
The report provides strong evidence that Georgia is making the right moves in education by setting higher standards and raising expectations.

According to the ACT, 19 percent of Georgia seniors demonstrated college-readiness in all four areas of the test, the same as last year. Nationally, about 23 percent of ACT test-takers demonstrated college-readiness, also unchanged from 2008.

The ACT has identified six specific steps that states can take to better prepare their students for college and careers. Those recommendations include adopting a rigorous core curriculum for all students, establishing a longitudinal data system and defining college-and-career readiness.

Growing Numbers
The number of seniors taking the ACT has increased to over 36,000 -- up more than 50 percent since 2005. The number of African-American students taking the ACT has nearly doubled in that time with 11,759 of last year's seniors having taken the exam.

Georgia ACT Report