More Minorities Taking ACT, but Score Gaps Persist

But gaps in scores persist for black and Hispanic students and their peers.

Far more Hispanic students are taking the ACT than ever, but their scores continue to fall short of levels considered necessary for strong performance in college.

Scores released last week by ACT Inc. for the graduating class of 2010 show that the number of Hispanic students who have taken the college-entrance exam during high school grew 84 percent in the past five years. Participation by Asian-American students rose by 63 percent and by African-American students 55percent, compared with a 29 percent rise in the number of white students.

But stubborn score gaps persist among...