ACT test scores fall to a 30-YEAR low and 42% of students failed to meet their subject-specific requirements for college readiness — the result of disruptions caused by pandemic lockdown measures and distance learning
- ACT levels across the country fell to their lowest as remote learning takes its toll from pandemic lockdowns
- The average was 19.8 out of 36, and students did not meet the benchmarks at a higher rate
- “The magnitude of the declines this year is particularly alarming,” the ACT CEO said
ACT college admissions test scores have hit their lowest level in more than 30 years – the latest testimony to the extent of learning disruption during the pandemic lockdowns.
The average ACT composite score for the Class of 2022 was 19.8 out of 36 when the results were released Wednesday, marking the first time since 1991 that the average score was below 20.
An increasing number of high school students did not meet any of the departmental benchmarks set by the ACT.
Test results show that 42% of ACT-tested graduates in the Class of 2022 failed to meet subject benchmarks in English, reading, science and math.
ACT test results, released in a report Wednesday, October 12, 2022, show a decline in college-level preparation for coursework
“The magnitude of the declines this year is particularly alarming,” said Janet Godwin, CEO of ACT
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In comparison, 38% of test takers in 2021 did not meet any of the benchmarks. Benchmarks are designed to measure how well students will do in college courses.
Test scores are now optional for freshman admissions at many institutions, with some, like the University of California system, even opting for a test-blind policy that disregards scores even if they are submitted .
“In academic readiness, we’re seeing the decline,” said Rose Babington, senior director of state partnerships at ACT.
“Every time we see ACT test scores we talk about skills and standards and how students are predicting success and knowing the really important information to be successful and pass their freshman year of college courses.”
42% of ACT-tested 2022 graduates did not meet any subject benchmarks in English, reading, science and math.
The number of students completing the ACT has declined by 30% since 2018 as graduates increasingly skip college and some universities no longer require admissions tests
ACT scores have steadily declined in recent years. Still, “the magnitude of the declines this year is particularly alarming,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said in a statement.
“We are seeing a rapidly growing number of seniors leaving high school without meeting college readiness benchmarks in any of the subjects we measure,” she added.
The findings offer a glimpse into systemic inequalities in education that were present well before the pandemic, when schools and colleges temporarily waived testing requirements.
For example, students without access to a rigorous high school curriculum suffered more setbacks during the pandemic disruptions, Babington said.
These students are from rural areas, come from low-income families, and are often colored students.
The number of students graduating from the ACT has declined 30% since 2018 as graduates increasingly skip college.
Participation among black students fell 37%, with 154,000 taking the test this year.
Standardized tests like the ACT face growing concerns that they are unfair to minority and low-income students, as students with access to expensive test preparation or advanced courses often do better.
Babington defended the test as a measure of college readiness. “More than ever, the last few years have shown us the importance of having quality data to inform how we support students,” said Babington.