Shorewood ACT Scores Remain Steady

Shorewood High School’s average composite ACT score remains well above the state average, according to data released Wednesday by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Seniors who took the test had an average composite score of 24.7 this year, a decrease from 24.9 in 2010. In fact, Shorewood’s average score has decreased for the last two years, after topping out at 25.9 in 2009.

School Board President Paul Zovic said it's no surprise that seniors produced outstanding test scores and the decline over the last two years isn't a concern. One would need to look more closely at the demographics of who took the test to determine why scores fell, he said.

"We are expected to produce great test scores," Zovic said. "But there is a heck of a lot more to delivering education to our students than test scores."

This year, 125 students, or 85 percent of the Class of 2011, took the ACT, compared to 135, or 82.2 percent, in 2010.

Next door, Whitefish Bay High School's average composite ACT score was 26.6 this year, up from 25.7 last year.

Statewide, students averaged 22.2 on the ACT this year — that is third in the nation among states where ACT is the primary college entrance exam, according to the DPI.

Approximately 71 percent of students in Wisconsin took the ACT test in 2011, compared to 69 percent last year.

"The message of using high school as preparation for college and careers is taking hold with our students. Nearly three-quarters of our kids said they took the rigorous classes recommended for college entry, up from just over half five years ago," State Superintendent Tony Evers said in a statement.

The ACT measures knowledge of English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning during the K-12 educational career. Some colleges and universities use the ACT as an admissions test for high school graduates. Only students who completed the entire test are represented in statistics gathered by the DPI.

Here's a roundup of how Shorewood High School performed on the ACT over the last five years:

Grad Year

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction