Record number of Ohio students take ACT

Ohio continues to outperform nation

The number of Ohio students taking the ACT college entrance and placement exam increased to a record 88,754, representing 64 percent of Ohio’s 2009 high school graduates. The ACT is composed of tests of academic achievement in English, mathematics, reading and science. Ohio students continue to outperform the national average on the ACT with an average composite score of 21.7 compared to the national average of 21.1. This year’s average composite score was unchanged from 2008. Scores on the English and science portions of the test also were unchanged from last year.

The reading score increased 0.1 points and the mathematics score fell 0.1 points. Ohio continues to rank ninth in the nation of the 27 states where more than 50 percent of the graduating class participates in the ACT. Ohio’s class of 2009 exceeded the national average on all four tests. Ohio students also surpassed the national average for percentage of students defined as “college ready,” according to ACT benchmark scores. In Ohio, 26 percent of graduates taking the test were college ready in all four subject areas, compared to 23 percent nationally.

For Ohio’s black and Hispanic students, overall scores have improved over previous years, though achievement gaps still exist. Hispanic students scored 0.4 points higher this year than in last, posting the biggest gain of any racial group. Indications from ACT do show that, regardless of race, students taking a core curriculum as defined by ACT scored three points higher than students who did not report completing a core curriculum. ACT’s core curriculum consists of four or more years of English classes, three or more years of mathematics, three or more years of social studies and three or more years of natural sciences.

Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2010, the requirements for graduation from Ohio public and chartered nonpublic high schools will include 20 units that are designed to prepare students for college and the workforce. Known as the Ohio Core, students will need to complete four units of English language arts, four units of mathematics, three units of science and three units of social studies, in addition to other requirements.

The percentage of U.S. high school graduates meeting all four of ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks increased slightly in 2009 as the pool of students taking the ACT® continued to expand, according to the not-for-profit ACT’s annual grad class report on college readiness. Nevertheless, the findings suggest continued effort to improve college readiness is needed on the part of states and school districts.

Ohio ACT Report