ACT Participation Up: Scores Steady

The Georgia Department of Education says participation by high schoolers in our state in the ACT jumped 9% in one year and the scores remain steady.

About 40% of the state's graduating seniors took the ACT and had an average composite score of 20.6, which is the same as last year. The national average is higher, 21.1, which remained the same as the previous year. (The highest score that can be received is a 36). The state DOE says that Georgia ties for 40th on the ACT, which is up from 41st last year and 47th in 2005.

State schools Superintendent Kathy Cox says that when the scores are broken down by race, Georgia students are actually outscoring the nation across the board. According to the 2009 ACT report:
- 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.

“When you get behind the numbers, you can see that Georgia students are actually outperforming their peers from across the nation,” Superintendent Cox said. “However, Georgia must remain focused and determined to provide all students with a high quality education so that we can close the achievement gap and prepare our students for the 21st century.”

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.

Locally, Chatham County's Savannah Arts Academy is on the list of top ACT High Schools with the average composite score of 24.5. Savannah High School made the list for most improved ACT Schools for a one-year average change with an average composite score of 16.2, a 1.5 increase.

The Bryan County school district is the only local school district on the list of top ACT school districts with an average composite score of 21.8.