2014 high school graduates scored higher

NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

OUTSCORE PEERS ON ACT EXAM

Nebraska’s 2014 high school graduates scored higher than their peers nationally and also outscored other graduates across the country in English, reading, mathematics and science scores that measure college readiness.

Nebraska’s average ACT composite score of 21.7 is higher than the national average of 21.0. The highest possible ACT score is 36. For more information, go to www.act.org.

Of the 17 states with 80 percent or more graduates taking the ACT, Nebraska scored at the top with an average 21.7 score. Nationally, 57 percent of the high school graduates were tested with an average score of 21.0.

In Nebraska, 17,768 or 86 percent of the state’s high school graduates took the ACT exam, compared to 84 percent in 2013 and 78 percent in 2012. From 2010-14, the number of ACT test-takers in Nebraska has increased by 10 percent.

“Nebraska educators are pleased that more of our high school graduates aspire to continue their education after high school,” Nebraska Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt said. And the state’s long history of scoring at the top of the nation when comparing states with a high percentage of graduates taking the ACT is commendable, he said.

Because of recent changes that ACT made in the college entrance exam, the 2013 results created a new baseline on which comparisons may be made only in future years.

ACT’s report this year is called “The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2014.” In the report, Nebraska high school graduates scored higher than graduates in other states in each subject used to determine college and career readiness:

·         72 percent of Nebraska graduates met the English goal, compared to 64 percent nationally.

·         48 percent of Nebraska test takers met the reading goal, compared to 44 percent nationally.

·         45 percent of Nebraska graduates met the mathematics benchmark, compared to 43 percent nationally.

·         42 percent of Nebraska graduates tested ready in science, compared to 37 percent nationally.

Detailed information on the college readiness benchmark percentages showed that English and science percentages increased 1 point, while reading remained the same and the mathematics benchmark dropped 1 point.

Student composite scores by race and ethnicity:

Graduate Groups - Nebraska	2013	2014
All Students	21.5	21.7
Black/African American	17.1	17.3
American Indian/Alaska Native	17.4	18.2
White	22.4	22.5
Hispanic/Latino	18.2	18.6
Asian	21.7	21.3
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander	19.5	19.6
Two or more races	20.4	20.9
Prefer not to respond/No response	20.0	20.9