Educate Oklahoma: ACT Scores Remain High

Oklahoma continues to maintain its high ranking among states in the south for scores on the ACT, a college readiness exam the State Department of Education said was taken by about 80 percent graduating seniors in the state this year.

Keegan Myers, 16, is a hardworking junior at Edmond North and among the top ten percent of his class.

“I think what we do now definitely has an impact on what happens when we get older,” he said.

He has taken the ACT three times and his most recent score is near perfect.

It's bound to help him get into the right college and with scholarships, so he can study medicine and ministry.

“I want to minor in Spanish so I can go to a Spanish speaking country and then have a medical practice there while also being a missionary at the same time,” he told News 9.

This year Edmond North students achieved a new record high average score on the ACT.

But records show schools across the board in Oklahoma are performing well on the exam.

For the last three years, according to the Southern Regional Education Board, Oklahoma has come in second and third among states in the south, and 12th among all 32 ACT states in the country.

According to the State Department of Education, Oklahoma’s 2016 composite score is 20.4 and the national average composite score is 20.8.

“The best indicator of student success is college readiness,” said Executive Direct of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, Shawn Hime. “To me it’s not where our students start. The most important thing is where they finish. When you graduate are you ready for college or the workforce and we’re getting a great bang for our buck in Oklahoma based on those ACT scores and college readiness scores,” he added.

The number of students taking the ACT is also increasing in Oklahoma. Education officials said there were 2,000 more test takers compared to last year.

Around the metro, Oklahoma City Public Schools has stepped up its efforts to improve outcomes on the ACT. In the last year, the district has offered an ‘ACT boot camp,’ after school tutoring, weekend sessions, and training for parents and teachers. A district representative said there has also been encouragement for students to enroll in advanced placement classes.

In the Putnam City School District, the board of education heard a report recommending steps to improve scores. Among the steps were to increase enrollment in higher level math and science courses, continue to develop resources for parents and students, and continue to give the exam at no charge to all juniors.