ACT readiness report released

The State Department of Education reports Idaho students performed well in the recent ACT assessments.

Of the 20,000 public school students in the class of 2019, 5,782 took the college entrance exam. “Nearly one third of Idaho high school students chose to take the ACT, and they outperformed their peers across the nation,” Superintendent Sherri Ybarra said. “Significantly, 87 percent of students taking the assessment reported they intend to pursue post-secondary education.”

The ACT assesses students’ college readiness based on benchmarks in English, math, reading and science. Ybarra said 50% of Idaho students met three or four of those benchmarks, compared to a nationwide average 37%.

You can see the full report here.

Idaho students scored an average 22.3 on the ACT while the national average was 20.7.

Ybarra released results in each of the four benchmarks Wednesday.

72 percent of Idaho graduates met the ACT English benchmark, compared to 59 percent nationally 50 percent met the ACT math benchmark, compared to 39 percent nationally 59 percent met the ACT reading benchmark, compared to 45 percent nationally 47 percent met the ACT science benchmark, compared to 37 percent nationally

Ybarra credited the state’s teachers for their commitment to preparing students for college or careers.