Average ACT score remains stable for Nevada students

The average ACT score for Nevada's high school class of 2007 was the same as that of the two prior years' classes, keeping Nevada's score slightly above the national average.

The national average ACT composite score rose from 21.1 last year to 21.2, on a scale of 1 to 36, extending a recent pattern of slight increases.

Nevada students earned a composite score of 21.5, unchanged from the last two years. Twenty-nine percent, or 5,562, of Nevada's 2007 graduating class took the test.

The national percentage of students who met benchmarks in English, science, math and reading rose from 21 percent to 23 percent. In Nevada, the latest figure was 22 percent.

Nationally, average composite scores edged up in each of the four individual tests: English to 20.7, math to 21, reading to 21.5 and science to 21. Nevada's 2007 averages were 21.2 in science, 21.4 in math, 20.8 in English and 22 in reading.

The ACT says the scores suggest the college readiness of Nevada's test-takers continues to fluctuate. The percentage of those who met or surpassed ACT benchmarks rose slightly in science but dropped slightly in the other areas.

The ACT also reiterated its case for more rigorous high school course work. It encourages students to take four years of English and three each of math, social studies and science. Students taking those courses or more averaged 22.0 on the exam; those who did not averaged 19.8.