Growing Numbers of Hispanic Test-takers
The increase comes, in part, from nearly universal ACT statewide testing in five states—Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, and Wyoming—which recorded a 10.8 percent increase in Hispanic ACT-tested graduates over the past year. More substantial increases came in states with traditionally higher Hispanic populations—Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico, New York, and Texas—which experienced a 19.4 percent increase in the number of tested 2009 Hispanic graduates. In 2008 more than 114,000 Hispanic high school graduates took the ACT.
Over the past several years, the total population of ACT test-takers has grown substantially. Nearly 1.5 million high school graduates in 2009—45 percent of the national graduating class, up from 43 percent last year—took the ACT, another all-time record number. The total number of ACT-tested graduates has grown by 25 percent since 2005, increasing by 4 percent this year, compared to last, even as the total number of graduates declined nationally.
Average ACT Scores
While the national average ACT composite score for all 2009 graduates was 21.1—unchanged from 2008 and 0.2 point higher than in 2005—the national average ACT composite score for Hispanic 2009 graduates was 18.7, unchanged from 2008. This score remains at the record high first reached in 2007. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with 36 being the highest possible score.
Average scores of Hispanic students on the four subject-area tests were: English—17.7; mathematics—19.1; reading—18.9; and science—18.8. The average math and science scores were 0.1 point higher than in 2008, while the other two scores remained unchanged from last year.
College Readiness of Hispanic Students
The findings show that among Hispanic ACT-tested 2009 graduates, only 48 percent (down 1% from 2008) met or exceeded the ACT benchmark score in English; 27 percent (up 1% from 2008) for college-level math; 35 percent (unchanged from 2008) in reading; and just 13 percent (unchanged) are ready for college-level science. Just 10 percent of Hispanic test-takers are college ready in all four subjects.
ACT Benchmarks specify the minimum scores needed on each ACT subject-area test to indicate a student is ready to succeed. In terms of college readiness, success is defined as having a 50 percent chance of earning a "B" or higher, or about a 75 percent chance of earning a "C" or higher in a typical first-year, credit-bearing college course in that subject area. The College Readiness Benchmarks are based on the actual performance of successful students in college.
Years of empirical ACT data indicate that students who meet or surpass the College Readiness Benchmarks are more likely than those who don’t to go to college, stay in school and graduate with a college degree.
Challenges
While the significant increase of Hispanic students who take the ACT is encouraging, ACT findings suggest there is still considerable room for improvement. Despite the record growth in Hispanic test-takers, college readiness skills among Hispanics remained the same for the third year in a row.
The large majority of Hispanic high school graduates continue to lack at least some of the academic skills they will need to succeed in first-year college coursework. ACT’s report reaffirms the need for school districts and states to focus more attention on college and career readiness for the nation’s Hispanic students.
"While there are certainly encouraging signs, the data overwhelmingly point to the need for continued improvement in our education system," said Cynthia B. Schmeiser, president and chief operating officer of ACT’s education division. "Collectively, we all have an obligation and a responsibility to do everything within our power to make sure our nation’s students are better prepared for college and work upon graduation. Our students, schools, districts, states and nation cannot afford otherwise."
ACT Scores Linked to Standards
ACT’s College Readiness Benchmark scores are directly linked to ACT’s College Readiness Standards, which define the knowledge and skills students need in college-entry courses. College and career readiness standards are vital to ensuring that U.S. students are taught the rigorous skills they need to compete with their peers in other states and, particularly, in high-performing countries around the world. ACT research shows that students who have attained the essential college and career readiness skills are more likely to succeed in postsecondary education than those who have not. ACT’s College Readiness Standards are directly measured by the test, making the ACT unique among college readiness exams.
As schools, states and national groups consider initiatives for improving student readiness, ACT offers the following recommendations on steps that states and school districts can take to better prepare students for college and career, based on hard evidence from the millions of students who have taken the ACT test in the past few decades:
* Adopt fewer—but essential—college and career readiness standards as their new high school graduation standards.
* Adopt a rigorous core curriculum for all high school graduates, whether they are bound for college or work.
* Define "how good is good enough" for college and career readiness.
* Strengthen the rigor of their courses.
* Begin monitoring academic achievement early to make sure younger students are on target to be ready for college and career.
* Establish longitudinal P-16 (preschool through college) data systems.
Fee Waivers
ACT issued more than 400,000 fee waivers for the ACT, an increase of more than 100,000 from the year before. This resulted in substantially increased opportunities for students from low-income households to take the ACT and use their scores to apply to colleges.
Complete report.
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