Tennessee’s ACT Scores Show Improvement in Schools

News Summary

Tennessee’s ACT scores for the graduating class of 2024 have shown a notable increase to an average of 19.3, up from 19.0 last year. This positive trend is reflected in improved scores among various student demographics, including Black, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students. With a participation rate of 99% across high schools, this marks significant progress in Tennessee’s educational landscape. Notably, Williamson County Schools led with the highest percentage of students meeting the ACT benchmark, showcasing the strides schools are making to support student success.

Exciting News in Nashville: Tennessee’s ACT Scores on the Rise!

Hey, Nashville! We have some fantastic news coming your way regarding the state of education in Tennessee. The results of the ACT scores for the graduating class of 2024 have just been released, and it looks like we’re heading in the right direction!

A Small Yet Significant Increase

The average composite ACT score for students in Tennessee is now 19.3, showing a modest improvement from last year’s average of 19.0. This could be a sign that our schools and students are really ramping up their academic game, and it’s something to celebrate!

Understanding the ACT

For those who might not know, the ACT (American College Testing) plays a crucial role in the college admissions process. It assesses students’ readiness for college and careers alike. In Tennessee, nearly every high school senior takes this standardized test, and guess what? A whopping 99% of students from the graduating class of 2024 participated! That’s right, our students are stepping up and taking their futures seriously!

Growth Among Different Student Groups

One of the standout highlights in this year’s data is that it shows improvement among specific student groups, especially for Black, Hispanic, and Native American students, as well as economically disadvantaged students and those with disabilities. For example:

Average scores for Black/Hispanic/Native American students rose from 16.6 to 16.8.
Economically disadvantaged students improved their scores from 16.3 to 16.6.
Students with disabilities saw their average score increase from 14.7 to 14.9.

This positive trend continues with the percentage of students who met the ACT benchmark of 21 also on the rise:

For Black/Hispanic/Native American students, the percentage increased to 19.5% from 17.3%.
The figure for economically disadvantaged students jumped to 17.7% from 15.8%.
Students with disabilities improved their benchmark percentage from 6.7% to 8.6%.

School Districts Making Strides

Are you curious how your local school stacks up? In Tennessee, schools are really stepping up. A total of 78 districts administered the ACT this year, increasing from 75 districts last year. When we look at the districts, Williamson County Schools had the highest percentage of students meeting the benchmark, an impressive 78.7%. Following closely was Germantown Municipal Schools with 71.8% and Maryville City Schools at 67.3%.

Shout out to the Jackson-Madison County School District, which experienced a remarkable 5.7% increase in their English section scores. It’s wonderful to see schools making progress and lifting the educational standard across the board!

What’s Next?

These improvements are a step in the right direction for Tennessee’s education system, which has seen some ups and downs over the past years — remember when the average ACT score was 20.2 back in 2018? While we’ve dropped to 19.0 in 2023, it’s gladdening to see a bounce back now!

As we look ahead, the goal remains clear: to support every student in achieving their college and career aspirations. Tennessee’s educational leaders are committed to ensuring all students have the tools they need to succeed.

For those looking to dive deeper into these numbers, full datasets are available online. So keep encouraging your friends and classmates, Nashville! We’re on a promising path to academic success!