WORLAND — Wyoming ACT composite scores hit a six-year low according to data released last week by the Wyoming Department of Education, but Worland scores were above the state.

Wyoming’s ACT composite score in reading, writing, math and science was 19.5, down from 19.7 a year ago. During the 2015-2016 year, Wyoming had the highest composite score at 20.0 during the past six years.

Washakie County School District No. 1 saw the ACT composite scores for the Class of 2019 come in higher than the state composite score at 19.6, down slightly from 2016-2017 and from 2015-2016 at 20.4.

TESTING

“The ACT is a college readiness exam that opens doors for Wyoming students through the Hathaway Scholarship,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “We are appropriately no longer using the ACT to measure academic achievement. We emphasize multiple options for students after high school, and we don’t tie success to a single test. As we implement changes to how we hold schools accountable and offer them support, I know our educators and administrators will continue to do everything they can to better

prepare students for the future.”

Statewide results show a statistically insignificant decrease in the average composite score and in each subject area.

The eight high schools that earned the highest average composite score are:

•Burlington High School: 24.6

•Jackson Hole High School: 22.3

•Sheridan High School: 22.1

•Lovell High School: 21.8

•Central High School: 21.6

•Star Valley High School: 21.6

•Laramie High School: 21.5

•Cokeville High School: 21.5

In the Big Horn Basin, Riverside had a composite score of 20.8, Thermopolis 18.3, Rocky Mountain High School 18.1, Greybull 20.1, Powell 20.4, Cody 20.1.

No composite scores were listed for Ten Sleep or Meeteetse.

In the spring of 2018, 21 schools administered the ACT online, compared to 14 schools the year before. Individual student results on the ACT help determine Hathaway Scholarship Program eligibility. Students must earn a minimum average composite score of 17 to be eligible for the Provisional level of the scholarship, 19 for Opportunity, 21 for Performance and 25 for Honors.

“By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require training beyond high school according to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce,” said Superintendent Balow. “These results show that through the Hathaway Scholarship, nearly 70 percent of our students have better access to that training at our community colleges or the University of Wyoming.”

A new assessment system was implemented in the 2017-18 school year, with students in grades 3-10 taking the Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress (WY-TOPP). In prior years, students in grades 9-10 took the ACT Aspire, and grade 11 ACT results were used to indicate achievement for accountability purposes. Now, grade 10 WY-TOPP results will be used to measure achievement, and the grade 11 ACT results will be used to indicate growth and post-secondary readiness for accountability. All WY-TOPP results are set to be released in late September, and accountability determinations will be released in November.

WORLAND

Washakie County School District No. 1 Curriculum Director Jody Rakness said there are some important indicators for the district that can be found in the 2017-2018 results. She said she likes to look to see if the gap is narrowing between general education students and IDEA (Individual Disability Education Act) students.

“We don’t want a huge gap and the results show we’re making progress,” Rakness said.

For English the general education composite is 18.5 and IDEA is 17.8. The gap is narrowing in English in socioeconomic groups as well with students on full pay lunch earning 18.8 and free/reduced at 17.8. In reading, the free and reduced lunch group is higher at 20.7, than full pay at 20.1.

For total composite scores, there is just .6 difference in full pay and free/reduced. There is a 2-point difference between general education and IDEA students.

Rakness said she was also pleased to see 35 percent of the Worland students in the top quartile in writing. The district saw 25 percent in the top quartile (76 percent or higher) in science as well.

Another result from ACT, aside from academics, is career readiness indicator. While Worland did not have any students in the “platinum” category, that indicates students that have skills required for approximately 99 percent of profiled jobs, Worland did have 57 percent in the silver category with skills for at least 69 percent of profiled jobs.

Rakness noted that there were also 14 percent of students in the gold category, showing they have skills required for at least 92 percent of profiled jobs.

AREAS TO WORK ON

Rakness said the district needs to look at the disparity in last year’s students between male and female students. The females in the class earned a composite score of 20.4, while the males were at 18.7. The largest difference was in English with the girls scoring a 20.1 and the boys a 16.6.

Another area to work on, Rakness said is in writing, specifically the supporting details category where across the board, different demographics struggled, she said.

Rakness said the ACT scores can be useful tools in helping the district focus on areas and teachers. Once individual student results are made available, teachers can work to help specific students.

But, more than just working on ACT scores, Rakness said the goal of Worland High School and the district is wanting to ensure that every student graduates. “Our teachers and our administrators are just focused in on making sure we keep kids in school and helping them earn a diploma,” Rakness said. “That does not mean we give them a diploma, it means we help them earn a diploma.”

She added, “I’ve never seen our district this energized about doing what’s right on behalf of our students. They truly have the heart for it and they truly want to make a difference.”