ACT Scores Drop at MPS

Maybe if we just spent a little more...

After expanding ACT testing to all high school juniors last year, Milwaukee Public Schools posted its lowest score in five years on the dominant college admissions test, according to data released Thursday.

The district’s average composite score on the ACT fell to 15.8 this year, from 17.2 in 2009. Testing was expanded to 3,846 students in 2010; only 2,332 students took the test in 2009.

Statewide, the average composite ACT score for the Class of 2010 dropped to 22.1 this year, from 22.3 last year. When those scores came out last week, the state Department of Public Instruction partly attributed Wisconsin’s growth in minority participation in ACT testing to MPS’ universal testing program.

At the same time, it also documented a marked drop in average scores by minority students in the state.