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Contact: Nicole Kranzler, 773-3426

South Dakota Students Score Well on ACT

PIERRE – This year, more than 7,000 South Dakota high school seniors took the ACT and earned an average composite score of 21.4, scoring above the national average composite score of 20.8. 

            “The ACT assessment is another tool we can use to measure the achievement and progress of our schools and our students. Using tools like the ACT helps us determine areas of strength and identify areas in which we can improve,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Rick Melmer.

            ACT recommends that students take a minimum of four years of English, three years of math, three years of science and three years of social studies. Sixty-two percent of those tested nationally took the recommended coursework; in South Dakota, 63 percent took the recommended core. ACT maintains that students who do so do better in college.

            A student can score between one and 36 in each of the four test areas on the ACT test. In addition to the individual area scores, the average of the four test scores is calculated to determine an overall average composite score. In general, the higher a student’s score, the more knowledge and skill the student possesses in the particular area. 

            “We are pleased to see our South Dakota students’ performance holding steady,” Melmer said. “We challenge high schools and parents to guide their students to take the ACT recommended "core" courses so that the students will be ready for college-level work.”

            Sixty-four percent of South Dakota’s tested students earned 20 or higher on their ACT composite scores; 56 percent scored 20 or higher in English, 57 percent in math, 62 percent in reading, and 68 percent in science reasoning. 

            The ACT tests assess student critical thinking and analysis skills in the areas of English, math, reading and science. Postsecondary institutions across the nation use ACT results to review student ability and achievement when determining scholarships, course registration, and admissions. Nationwide this year, 1.2 million students took the ACT. For more information, visit www.act.org.

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