ATLANTA — Students in five Southern Regional Education Board member states achieved historically high average scores on the ACT college admissions test, and no SREB state that predominantly uses the ACT for college admissions scores saw its average score drop, results released on August 16 show.
Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia reached at least 10-year record highs in their average ACT scores. All five of those states also kept pace or gained ground toward attaining the national average ACT score, which rose from 20.9 to 21.1. Arkansas and Louisiana gained ground on the national average, while Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia maintained their pace. In spite of these gains, all SREB states that mainly use the ACT for college admissions had average scores below the national average.
Eight SREB states predominately use the ACT: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia. Substantial numbers of students, but not the majority, in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina also take the test.
Many SREB states also showed improvement on ACT results for specific groups of students and narrowed some achievement gaps between groups. Six states saw at least 10-year highs in average scores for black students: Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia. Five states also saw at least 10-year highs for white students’ average scores: Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia. The same five states had at least five-year highs in average scores for Hispanic students.
Gaps between average scores for black students and their white peers narrowed in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Gaps narrowed between Hispanic students and their white peers in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia. “Even so, some significant gaps remain and must be addressed,” said SREB President Dave Spence.
Students who took a recommended, rigorous core of academic courses in preparation for the ACT generally scored higher than their peers who did not take a rigorous academic core. This group of students saw all-time high average ACT scores in six states: Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia. Seven states saw average scores rise for such students. SREB recommends that states require all students to complete a rigorous academic core, combined with intensive support structures that can help more students finish high school and proceed into college and good careers.
“SREB states are making progress on the ACT,” Spence said. “While the results are promising, gaps remain for certain groups of students. States must work harder to close achievement gaps, and they must provide all students with the rigorous, supportive high school experience everyone deserves.”
SREB staff members are available to speak with journalists about state ACT results and regional trends. Please contact SREB Communications.
SREB, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, advises state education leaders on ways to improve education. SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to help leaders in education and government work cooperatively to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. SREB has 16 member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Each is represented by its governor and four gubernatorial appointees.
