ACT Scores

Date posted: 11/04/2009

In 2000, Colorado State Law made participating in the American College Testing Program (ACT) mandatory for all 11th grade students. The first implementation of required testing was in 2001 for school year 2000-2001. According to the Colorado Department of Education, the purpose of 'Educational Reform related to Standards and Assessments' in Colorado is to institute an accountability system to define and measure academic quality in education and thus to help public schools of Colorado to achieve such quality and to expand the life opportunities and options of the students of this state. Further, a stated purpose is to provide to local school boards and local schools assistance in helping their patrons to determine the relative value of their school program as compared to its cost. 

Composite ACT scores are an average of the English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning portions of the test. The ACT test can be taken more than once, and potential scores range from 0 to 36. If a student refuses to take the test or tests are disqualified for any reason, ACT still counts the student or the test result. In this case, a score of zero (0) is entered and averaged into the district scores.

What this chart shows: Average Composite ACT Scores in Colorado and Larimer County School Districts, 2001-02 to 2008-09

Data Source: Colorado Department of Education

See data table

Note: Scores for the first year the ACT tests were mandatory, 2000-01, were not included because of the way the Colorado Department of Education reported the results. The ACT tests are administered in the spring of the school year.

What these data tell us:

In general, from 2001-02 to 2008-09, Larimer County School Districts had higher ACT scores than the Colorado average. In the 2003-04 school year, Park School District scores decreased by four points, placing it below the Colorado average. The manner of administration of the test to special education students at Estes Park High School was rejected by ACT, which resulted in seven (7) zeros added to the Park School District composite score. Given the small number of students taking the test, this would account for a seemingly large decrease in the composite score.

What this chart shows: Average ACT English Scores in Colorado and Larimer County School Districts for School Years 2001-02 to 2008-09

Data Source: Colorado Department of Education

See data table

What these data tell us:

From 2001-02 through 2008-09, Poudre School District's scores have averaged the highest at 20.0, followed by Park at 19.9 and Thompson at 18.6. Thompson School District, however, was the only school district to show an improvement over the previous year, a 4.8% increase.

What this chart shows: Average Math ACT Scores for Colorado and Larimer County School Districts for School Years 2001-02 to 2008-09

Data Source: Colorado Department of Education

See data table

What these data tell us:

As with the ACT English test scores, Poudre School District students averaged the highest scores from 2001-02 through 2008-09 at 20.7, followed by Park at 20.5 and Thompson at 20.0. Thompson School District students were also the only group to raise their test scores from the previous year from 19.1 to 20.0 (4.6%).

What this chart shows: Average Reading ACT Scores for Colorado and Larimer County School Districts for School Years 2001-02 to 2008-09

Data Source: Colorado Department of Education

See data table

What these data tell us:

In 2008-09, Park School District was the only district not to show an improvement in scores from the previous year. Both Poudre School District and Thompson School District saw improvements, although Thompson School District students improved their scores much more than Poudre students, 5.3% versus 0.7%, respectively.

What this Chart shows: Average Science Reasoning ACT Scores for Colorado and Larimer County School Districts for School Years 2001-02 to 2008-09

Data Source: Colorado Department of Education

See data table

What these data tell us:

Thompson School District students improved their Science Reasoning ACT Scores by 6.4% from 2006-07 to 2008-09, whereas Poudre School District students improved their scores by 1.1% during this same period, and Park School District students scored lower in 2008-09 than 2006-07 (20.3 versus 20.2).

Thompson School District students showed the most improvement on all four tests in 2008-09, whereas both Poudre and Park School Districts generally lost a few percentage points. Park School District's relatively small class size (fewer than 100 students taking the test) allows for more fluctuation in test scores from year to year.

Additional Information:

Universities use a combination of standardized testing score and grade point average (GPA) to determine student admission. For example, Colorado State University bases admission criteria on a combination of an ACT or SAT score and a GPA as a measure of overall academic performance. Applicant narratives and supporting documents are also considered, which may allow for admission by an applicant with lower scores. The written sections of the ACT and SAT are not used for admission or scholarship consideration.

On Compass-

• Average Teacher Salary
• CSAP scores
• Dropout Rates
• Enrollment by Ethnicity
• Enrollment by School District
• Enrollment in Public, Private, and Home Schooling
• Funding per Pupil in District
• High School Graduation Rates
• Pupil/Teacher Ratio
• Special Needs Enrollment
• Teachers by Race/Ethnicity & Gender

Outside Compass-

• Ask Colorado - Interactive online librarian service from Colorado libraries
• Colorado Data Book - Colorado Office of Economic Development report on Education in Colorado
• Colorado Department of Education
• Park School District
• Planning for College - this website has information for students, parents and educators including admissions testing, choosing and applying to schools, and applying for financial aid.
• Poudre School District
• Thompson School District

Standards or Target: N/A

Data Table:

Average Composite ACT Scores for Colorado & Larimer County School Districts

	Colorado	Poudre	Thompson	Park
2001-02	18.8	21.1	19.7	20.5
2002-03	19.0	20.1	19.6	22.1
2003-04	18.8	20.1	19.4	18.1
2004-05	19.0	20.6	19.3	20.3
2005-06	19.0	21.0	19.8	20.6
2006-07	19.1	20.5	19.2	20.4
2007-08	19.4	21.6	19.3	20.6
2008-09	19.6	20.4	21.5	20.2

See chart

Average English ACT Scores for Colorado & Larimer County School Districts

	Colorado	Poudre	Thompson	Park
2001-02	18.0	20.1	18.9	20.0
2002-03	18.1	19.1	18.5	21.6
2003-04	17.8	19.1	18.3	17.5
2004-05	18.2	19.9	18.6	19.7
2005-06	18.2	20.3	18.9	20.5
2006-07	18.3	19.7	18.3	19.8
2007-08	18.6	20.9	18.4	20.2
2008-09	18.6	19.6	20.8	19.3

See chart

Average Math ACT Scores for Colorado & Larimer County School Districts

	Colorado	Poudre	Thompson	Park
2001-02	18.6	20.8	19.4	20.0
2002-03	18.9	20.1	19.5	21.6
2003-04	18.8	20.2	19.1	18.7
2004-05	18.6	20.3	18.8	19.9
2005-06	18.9	20.8	19.5	20.3
2006-07	19.2	20.7	19.3	20.8
2007-08	19.3	21.3	19.1	20.7
2008-09	19.5	20.5	21.1	20.0

See chart

Average Reading ACT Scores for Colorado & Larimer County School Districts

	Colorado	Poudre	Thompson	Park
2001-02	18.9	21.6	19.8	20.9
2002-03	19.3	20.4	20.1	22.8
2003-04	19.1	20.8	20.0	18.1
2004-05	19.4	21.3	19.8	20.7
2005-06	19.4	21.6	20.4	20.9
2006-07	19.4	21.0	19.9	20.1
2007-08	19.6	22.2	19.7	20.8
2008-09	20.1	20.6	22.4	20.7

See chart

Average Science ACT Scores for Colorado & Larimer County School Districts

	Colorado	Poudre	Thompson	Park
2001-02	19.3	21.3	20.3	21.0
2002-03	19.2	20.1	19.9	21.8
2003-04	18.8	19.9	19.5	18.0
2004-05	19.2	20.4	19.6	20.4
2005-06	19.1	20.8	19.7	20.3
2006-07	19.1	20.2	19.0	20.3
2007-08	19.6	21.5	19.7	20.4
2008-09	19.8	20.2	21.3	20.2

See chart

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