Delaware Students Out-Perform National Average on ACT
Delaware’s 2011 graduates who took the ACT exam fared better than their peers in every subject, according to a report released today by the nonprofit assessment and research company.
About 16 percent of Delaware 2011 graduates, or 1,481 students, took the ACT sometime during their high school career. Of those students, 74 percent met the ACT’s college readiness benchmark, compared to 66 percent nationally. In reading, 60 percent of Delaware students met the benchmark while 52 percent did so nationally. The mathematics test showed 57 percent of Delaware test-takers meeting the mark, compared to 45 percent nationally. And in science, 39 percent of Delaware students did so while the national percentage was 30. For those students meeting the benchmark in all four subjects, Delaware boasted 34 percent, compared to 25 percent nationally.
Looking at long-term trends, more Delaware students met the readiness benchmarks in each subject in 2011 than five years ago. That growth came during the same period of an almost 100 percent increase (99.6 percent) in the number of test-takers.
Of the 1,481 Class of 2011 test-takers, 816 were public school students. They were part of the first class to come under the state’s revised graduation requirements that mandated four credits each in English and mathematics and three credits each in science and social studies. The mathematics coursework had to include at least the successful completion of Algebra II and at least one math class during their senior year.
According to the ACT report, the percentage of students who met the benchmark on each of the English, mathematics and science tests was significantly higher for those students who self-identified as having met ACT’s definition of core curriculum, which is four years of English and three years each of mathematics and science.
The full national and state-specific ACT reports can be viewed and downloaded from ACT’s website at www.act.org/readiness/2011.
For more information about the ACT, contact Ed Colby or Scott Gomer, ACT Media Relations, at (319) 337-1028 or ed.colby@act.org or scott.gomer@act.org.
|
Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
|
Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
Other Press Releases |
