CHEYENNE – Results are now available online from the 2016 statewide high school assessments administered to students in grades 9 through 11. Eleventh grade students showed improvement in every subject tested, while 9th and 10th grade students exceeded the benchmark in English, indicating a high probability of success in first year college courses.

Consistent with Wyoming statutes, and to support calculations for Wyoming’s school accountability system, 9th and 10th grade students take the ACT Aspire, and 11th grade students take the ACT. The tests are intended to predict college readiness. This spring marked the first year that the ACT Aspire was administered, making statewide assessment results from prior years incomparable for grades 9 and 10.

“We’re very proud of the work done by WDE and school staff to successfully administer Aspire,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “The shift to an online test is no small feat and took cooperation from all parties involved. Thanks to their hard work we now have a good baseline to work from.”

The 2015-16 ACT Aspire results show that 9th grade students achieved and average score of 427.58 in English (benchmark 426), 425.19 in Math (benchmark 428), 422.12 in Reading (benchmark 425), 425.22 in Science (benchmark 420), and had an average composite score of 425.14. Tenth grade students achieved an average score of 430.55 in English (benchmark 428), 426.71 in Math (benchmark 432), 423.64 in Reading (benchmark 428), 427.23 in Science (benchmark 432), and had an average composite score of 427.18.

A three-year comparison of 11th grade ACT results show and average score in English: of 19.0 in 2014, 18.8 in 2015, and 19.1 in 2016; in Math: 19.7 in 2014, 19.5 in 2015, and 19.7 in 2016; in Reading: 20.3 in 2014, 20.2 in 2015, and 20.4 in 2016; in Science: 20.1 in 2014, 20.2 in 2015, and 20.4 in 2016; and the average composite was: 19.9 in 2014, 29.8 in 2015, and 20.0 in 2016.

The WDE established new performance levels for the ACT in 2014 delineating Advanced, Proficient, Basic, and Below Basic performance in the subject area tests. Current results are not directly comparable to years prior to 2014 because they represent a much higher set of expectations for Wyoming students.

The 2015-16 ACT Performance Levels (which include data for students who took alternate assessments) are as follows: In Reading 13.6% were advanced in 2015 and 15.7% in 2016, 18.1% were proficient in 2015 and 20.5% in 2016, 36.3% were Basic in 2015 and 33.3% in 2016, and 31.9% were Below Basic in 2015 and 30.4% in 2016; In Math 10.1% were Advanced in 2015 and 9.9% in 2016, 28% were Proficient in 2015 and 29.8% in 2016, 42.3% were Basic in 2015 and 43.6% in 2016, and 19.5% were Below Basic in 2015 and 16.7% in 2016; In Science 5.5% were Advanced in 2015 and 4.4% in 2016, 25.7% were Proficient in 2015 and 28.8% in 2016, 39.9% were Basic in 2015 and 39% in 2016, and 28.9% were Below Basic in 2015 and 27.8% in 2016.

These results will be used to determine school performance ratings, which will be released in September.

The WDE will publish ACT results for the graduating class of 2016 along with the ACT annual report, The Condition of College & Career Readiness, scheduled for August 24, 2016.

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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053

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