It has been no secret that setbacks have permeated through each layer of the graduating class of 2023’s academic journey. From gaps in education to navigating online learning, it has been a bumpy ride the last four years for these students. And after a recent release from ACT titled Fewer High School Seniors Ready for College as ACT Scores Continue to Decline , the effects are clear. For example - more than 4 in 10 seniors meet none of the college readiness benchmarks; 70% of seniors fall short of college readiness benchmark for mathematics. Not only is the data telling this story, but I can speak from experience from working with this class the last 4 years that you can see the reversion in lessons. The average Composite score on the ACT test fell to 19.5 for the class of 2023, a decline of 0.3 points from 2022, according to data released by ACT.
From ACT CEO Janet Godwin:
“This is the sixth consecutive year of declines in average scores, with average scores declining in every academic subject.” “We are also continuing to see a rise in the number of seniors leaving high school without meeting any of the college readiness benchmarks, even as student GPAs continue to rise and students report that they feel prepared to be successful in college. The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for postsecondary success in college and career. These systemic problems require sustained action and support at the policy level. This is not up to teachers and principals alone – it is a shared national priority and imperative.”
Key findings from the release
The average Composite score declined by 0.3 points, from 19.8 in 2022 to 19.5 in 2023.
Between 2022 and 2023, average English scores declined 0.4 points (from 19.0 to 18.6), average mathematics scores declined 0.3 points (from 19.3 to 19.0), average reading scores declined 0.3 points (from 20.4 to 20.1), and average science scores declined by 0.3 points (from 19.9 to 19.6).
The percentage of students meeting all four benchmarks dropped 1.3 percentage points, from 22.1% of students in 2022 to 20.8% of students in 2023, whereas the percentage of students meeting no benchmarks increased by 1.7 percentage points, from 41.6% in 2022 to 43.3% in 2023
The pandemic may have only been the trigger however. The bigger catalyst may be the test optional variable. With the scores on the lower end holding less value, you may see less of a push on the tests from students in that range. On the other hand, there has been more competition for higher scores amongst students who can access the upper levels. The testing environment is surely evolving and will be something to watch for the graduating class of 2024 and beyond.