York's Most Recent ACT Scores Tie Highest Ever Posted by the School

ACT has just released this year’s scores for the graduated Class of 2013. At the state and national level, average composite scores on the ACT college entrance exam fell from last year. In part, this is due to the fact that ACT has changed the way it reports scores, creating an apples-to-oranges comparison to former results.

At the same time, Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 saw students’ scores increase for the third year in a row. York High School scores rose .2, to 24.1, tying the highest ACT composite average score ever posted by York. This is in contrast to the national average composite scores which dropped by .2 to 20.9. At the state level, Illinois scores decreased by .3 to 20.6.

Related: York Student Earns Perfect Score on ACT

In the past, ACT omitted the scores of students who received extra time on the exam as a part of accommodations granted to students to with special needs when reporting district scores. When only scores of students who completed the exam in the standard allotted time are calculated, the Class of 2013 posted a 24.7 ACT composite average, a .8 increase from the previous year.

Of the 650 student scores included in the final results, 79 (or 12 percent) were scores from students who were allotted extra time to complete the exam. In Illinois, students granted extra time had an average of 16 on the college entrance exam. District 205 students who qualified for additional time scored 19.9. 

“These scores represent one of several key indicators of our overall District performance,” Superintendent Dave Pruneau said. “Over the last few years, District 205 has emphasized the importance of preparing students for college and careers. Our District ACT scores have steadily increased over the past three years. I believe these scores are a reflection of the hard work of the administration and teachers in focusing curriculum and classroom practice on college readiness skills and preparing students for future success.”

The ACT reflects the achievement of graduates and their readiness for college. The ACT is taken by all juniors in the state as part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination. The ACT is used by many universities and colleges as one factor in determining a student’s acceptance into college.

Information provided by Elmhurst Unit District 205.