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ACT Scores Inch Up, but Testmaker Raps Curriculum

By Scott J. Cech — August 28, 2007 1 min read
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The class of 2007’s ACT scores edged up slightly over last year’s, but the producer of the college-entrance test, ACT Inc., warned that high schools’ core curriculum still isn’t rigorous enough to adequately prepare students for college.

The average national ACT score this year was 21.2 on a scale of 1 to 36—an improvement of one-tenth of a percentage point, and part of a slow but fairly steady upward climb from the class of 2003’s score of 20.8.

Scores released Aug. 15 were up on each of the four required subject-area tests: English, mathematics, reading, and science. Math scores improved by two-tenths of a percentage point over last year’s, to 21. English, reading, and science scores each increased one-tenth of a percentage point—to 20.7, 21.5, and 21, respectively.

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For more stories on this topic see Testing and Accountability.

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