Stevenson matches all-time high score on ACT
Stevenson High School's Class of 2011 matched the highest composite ACT score in school history, and set new records in two of the four subject areas on the college entrance examination.
Stevenson's composite, or average, score was 26.2, equalling the mark set last year. The state average was 20.9 and the national average was 21.0. The ACT scoring scale is 1 to 36.
The Class of 2011 received all-time high scores on the English and science sections of the exam, and had the second-best marks in mathematics and reading in school history.
The English score was 26.6, topping the previous best of 26.3 set in 2010, and the science score of 25.3 surpassed the 25.2 mark from a year ago. The mathematics score was 26.9, just short of the all-time high of 27.0 set last year, while the reading score was 25.2, second only to the 25.7 posted in 2010. SHS also had a reading score of 25.2 in 2008 and 2006.
The latest ACT results also show that Stevenson's most recent graduates are well prepared for college. The percentage of SHS graduates that could be expected to earn a B or C in a first-year college course based on ACT scores far exceeded the percentage of students statewide:
• College English Composition – 93 percent of Stevenson graduates, compared to 65 percent of all graduating Illinois high school seniors. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in English is 18 on the English portion of the exam.
• College Algebra -- 82 percent of Stevenson graduates; 42 percent statewide. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in algebra is 22 on the mathematics portion of the exam.
• College Social Science – 77 percent of Stevenson graduates; 48 percent statewide. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in social science is 21 on the reading portion of the exam.
• College Biology – 64 percent of Stevenson graduates; 28 percent statewide. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in biology is 24 on the science portion of the exam.
The number of graduating seniors who took the ACT was 1,065.