Kaua’i near the state average By PAUL C. CURTIS TGI Staff Writer LIHU’E — Though just 20 percent of the 600-member class of 2000 on Kaua’i took the ACT college-entrance exam this year, their scores continue to improve, with the
Kaua’i near the state average
By PAUL C. CURTIS
TGI Staff Writer
LIHU’E — Though just 20 percent of
the 600-member class of 2000 on Kaua’i took the ACT college-entrance exam this
year, their scores continue to improve, with the entire state’s results above
national averages in every category but English.
Statewide, 2,826 seniors
took the ACT this year. And while neither the state Department of Education nor
ACT Inc. give out individual district scores, DOE’s Kaua’i superintendent,
Daniel Hamada, said students here scored very close to the state
average.
“We feel real good about the results,” Hamada said.
Greg
Knudsen, state DOE spokesman, said it is “pleasantly unusual to see Hawai’i up
there” in results of standardized testing.
Those who pursue challenging
high school courses generally did better than those students who did not,
Knudsen said.
The results are “good news for the state,” showing that
Hawai’i students can excel on standardized tests, Knudsen said. He added the
scores offer “a reassurance that we can do well.”
Results from another
college-entrance test, the SAT, are expected out next week, he said.
Out of
a total possible score of 36, Hawai’i students averaged 21.6, compared to a
national average of 21.
In math, Hawai’i’s seniors scored 22.6 (also out of
36) compared to the national average of 20.7. They averaged 21.5 on reading
(the national average is 21.4), and 21.4 on science (versus the national
average of 21).
The only category where Hawai’i students were under the
national average was in English (20.3 in Hawai’i, compared to the national
average of 20.5).
Over 1 million high school seniors took the ACT this
year, reflecting around 38 percent of all U.S. high school seniors in public
and private schools.
A higher percentage of Hawai’i seniors take the
College Board SAT admissions test than the ACT.
The ACT is used as an
admissions test by colleges and universities to assess high school students’
general educational development and their ability to complete college-level
work. The test covers four skill areas: English, math, reading and science
reasoning.
The results show how Hawai’i did compared to other states and
the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) in terms of composite (overall)
scores, and where Hawai’i ranked nationwide.
Staff writer Paul C.
Curtis can be reached at pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
