By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
School officials were not surprised when the Department of Public Instruction revealed a drop in statewide ACT exam scores last week.
A new state mandate requires all juniors to take the exam. Statewide, the average composite score dropped from 22.2 to 20, and a drop occurred at the local level as well.
At Wilmot Union, the school fell just below the state average at 19.7, while Westosha Central is shade above at 20.6.
A year earlier, Westosha Central had an overall score of 23 while Wilmot Union obtained 22.4.
Michael Juech, Director of Teaching and Learning at Wilmot Union, anticipated there would be a decline in scores.
“We expected there would be a drop in the ACT scores statewide with a requirement of all juniors taking the ACT,” Juech said. “It has been important to communicate the dip in the scores and the reason why this occurred.”
Gale Netzer-Jensen, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Westosha Central, agreed with Juech, adding that juniors might not have higher education as part of their long-term plans.
“Some juniors who took the ACT may not want to go to college,” Netzer-Jensen said. “A lot seniors take it three or four times to boost their score.”
Like Netzer-Jensen, Juech said scores dropped as a result of more students taking the exam, compared to the previous year.
While both officials have a want to improve the overall scores, there is nothing to compare data to.
“It is very different this year, because it is not comparable,” Netzer-Jensen said.
Added Juech, “If we continue to grow when we are able to compare statewide ACT scores that is most important.”