Scores on college test fall to new 30-year low

The ACT scores of US high school students have declined to their lowest level in more than 30 years, indicating that test-takers aren't yet ready for college-level coursework, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test.

ACT — or American College Testing — is a standardized test used for college admissions in the US, covering four academic skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and scientific reasoning, with an optional writing test.

ACT takers had an average score of 19.5 out of 36 in 2023, a decrease of 0.3 points from 2022, marking the second consecutive year the average score has dropped below 20 since 1991, according to ACT.

The test scores in reading, science and math were all below the benchmarks that ACT specifies as necessary for students to have a high probability of satisfying the first-year score requirement. The average English score is just above the benchmark but still experienced a decline, according to the ACT report.

The declining score trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as students in the class of 2023 were in their first year of high school when the virus entered the US.

Over the last several years, many colleges and universities have shifted from requiring standardized test scores for admission, instead choosing test-optional policies, which have faced criticism for favoring the wealthy and putting low-income students at a disadvantage.

"This is the sixth consecutive year of declines in average scores, with average scores declining in every academic subject," ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. "We are also continuing to see a rise in the number of seniors leaving high school without meeting any of the college readiness benchmarks, even as student GPAs continue to rise, and students report that they feel prepared to be successful in college."

"The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for postsecondary success in college and career," Godwin said in a statement.

She said the scores are still helpful for placing students in the right college courses and preparing academic advisers to better support students.

The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum ACT test scores required for students to have a high probability of success in credit-bearing first-year college courses.

According to ACT, 1.4 million high school seniors took the test this year, an increase from the previous year but still not reaching the pre-pandemic levels. The report also reveals that only 21 percent met all four benchmarks, while nearly half of the test takers met none of the benchmarks.

"In terms of college readiness, even in a test-optional environment, these kinds of objective test scores regarding academic readiness are incredibly important," Godwin said.

"Addressing these systemic problems requires sustained action and support at the policy level,"?she said. "This is not solely the responsibility of teachers and principals; it is a shared national priority and imperative.''