For Immediate Release
Wednesday, August 21, 2002
For the 16th consecutive year, Madison seniors surpassed their state and national peers on results of the ACT test. Madison students in the Class of 2002 compiled a 24.4 average composite score compared with state students at 22.2 and 20.8 for students nationally. For the sixth straight year, Wisconsin ranked number one in the nation.
Madison students in the Class of 2002 had the highest scores since 1998-99 (24.4), and it is important to note that an all-time record percentage of seniors took the test. Nearly three out of four of the District's seniors took the test last year. Statewide, about 68% (43,458) of last year's seniors took the ACT and 72.1% (1,113) of Madison's seniors took the test.
Madison students' 2001-02 scores in all subject areas increased compared to 2000-01 results. The results indicate that English continues to be problematic for students, particularly writing skills including usage, mechanics and rhetoric. The shortcomings mirror the results from the 10th grade Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exams. The District has implemented staff development in writing instruction and revised its writing assessment plan as part of the strategy to improve the scores.
Students in MMSD who take the ACT do very well relative to students in the U.S. or Wisconsin. For example, when comparing MMSD students to other students in the US who took the ACT last year, according to the American College Testing Program - the test developers - an "average" MMSD student (24.4 composite score) would have scored higher than four of every five students in the country, and higher than three of every four Wisconsin students who took the test.
The ACT exam is administered locally by the American College Testing Program and covers English, math, reading and science reasoning. The ACT test is graded on a scale of 1 to 36. The test is one of two tests used nationally for students planning to enter a 4-year college.
Public Information Office
545 W. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53703
608-663-1879
email: newsrelease@madison.k12.wi.us
Last Modified: 2002-08-21
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