Post by title1parent on Aug 13, 2008 6:09:05 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=227199&src=76
Naperville N. seniors earn highest ACT scores in school's history
By Bob Smith | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/13/2008 12:04 AM
Naperville North High School's Class of 2008 will be a tough academic act to follow.
This year's graduating seniors scored a composite 25.4 on a 36-point scale on their ACT tests, Naperville Unit District 203 officials announced this week, setting a record for the school and the district that both regularly finish far above state and national averages.
It marks the fourth straight year North's composite scores have increased and the second straight year they have topped 25.
All Illinois graduates take the ACT, comprised of tests in English, math, reading and science.
Naperville Central's graduating seniors, meanwhile, amassed a composite score of 24.9, down a tick from last year's 25.0 but still well above the state average of 20.7 and the national average of 21.1.
Those scores give the district reason to celebrate as it prepares for the start of the new school year, Superintendent Alan Leis said Tuesday.
"We're very pleased," he said. "You sometimes think they (the scores) can't go any higher and then our wonderful students and wonderful teachers make it happen."
Leis attributes at least part of the district's success to its increasing level of sophistication in using practice exams taken by freshmen and sophomores to help students prepare for the ACTs and show them how they stack up against students they are likely to compete against to gain admission to the colleges and universities of their choice.
That approach, Leis said, gives students an early look at areas where they may need to improve and fits perfectly into the district's mission statement to create self-directed learners.
North graduates this year boosted their school's scores in English (to 25.4 from 25.0 last year), math (to 25.7 from 25.3) and reading (to 25.2 from 24.9). Science scores remained unchanged at 24.8.
Central scores remained even in English (24.9) and reading (25.1) and dipped slightly in math (24.9 from 25.1 last year) and science (24.3 from 24.6).
Overall, Leis said, the legacy this year's crop of District 203 graduates will leave behind is one of "an incredibly high-achieving class."
"This is really a time to celebrate the good news," he said, both for the district and the community. "It adds to the quality of life in Naperville that makes it an attractive place to live and to educate your kids."
By the numbers
Naperville Unit District 203 has released its 2008 ACT scores. The scores reflect tests taken by the senior class that graduated this spring.
District totals
Composite: 25.2 (last year: 25.1)
English: 25.2 (24.9)
Math: 25.3 (25.2)
Reading: 25.2 (25.0)
Science: 24.5 (24.7)
Naperville Central
Composite: 24.9 (25.0)
English: 24.9 (24.9)
Math: 24.9 (25.1)
Reading: 25.1 (25.1)
Science: 24.3 (24.6)
Naperville North
Composite: 25.4 (25.1)
English: 25.4 (25.0)
Math: 25.7 (25.3)
Reading: 25.2 (24.9)
Science: 24.8 (24.8)
State avg. composite: 20.7
National avg. composite: 21.1
Source: Naperville Unit District 203
Naperville N. seniors earn highest ACT scores in school's history
By Bob Smith | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/13/2008 12:04 AM
Naperville North High School's Class of 2008 will be a tough academic act to follow.
This year's graduating seniors scored a composite 25.4 on a 36-point scale on their ACT tests, Naperville Unit District 203 officials announced this week, setting a record for the school and the district that both regularly finish far above state and national averages.
It marks the fourth straight year North's composite scores have increased and the second straight year they have topped 25.
All Illinois graduates take the ACT, comprised of tests in English, math, reading and science.
Naperville Central's graduating seniors, meanwhile, amassed a composite score of 24.9, down a tick from last year's 25.0 but still well above the state average of 20.7 and the national average of 21.1.
Those scores give the district reason to celebrate as it prepares for the start of the new school year, Superintendent Alan Leis said Tuesday.
"We're very pleased," he said. "You sometimes think they (the scores) can't go any higher and then our wonderful students and wonderful teachers make it happen."
Leis attributes at least part of the district's success to its increasing level of sophistication in using practice exams taken by freshmen and sophomores to help students prepare for the ACTs and show them how they stack up against students they are likely to compete against to gain admission to the colleges and universities of their choice.
That approach, Leis said, gives students an early look at areas where they may need to improve and fits perfectly into the district's mission statement to create self-directed learners.
North graduates this year boosted their school's scores in English (to 25.4 from 25.0 last year), math (to 25.7 from 25.3) and reading (to 25.2 from 24.9). Science scores remained unchanged at 24.8.
Central scores remained even in English (24.9) and reading (25.1) and dipped slightly in math (24.9 from 25.1 last year) and science (24.3 from 24.6).
Overall, Leis said, the legacy this year's crop of District 203 graduates will leave behind is one of "an incredibly high-achieving class."
"This is really a time to celebrate the good news," he said, both for the district and the community. "It adds to the quality of life in Naperville that makes it an attractive place to live and to educate your kids."
By the numbers
Naperville Unit District 203 has released its 2008 ACT scores. The scores reflect tests taken by the senior class that graduated this spring.
District totals
Composite: 25.2 (last year: 25.1)
English: 25.2 (24.9)
Math: 25.3 (25.2)
Reading: 25.2 (25.0)
Science: 24.5 (24.7)
Naperville Central
Composite: 24.9 (25.0)
English: 24.9 (24.9)
Math: 24.9 (25.1)
Reading: 25.1 (25.1)
Science: 24.3 (24.6)
Naperville North
Composite: 25.4 (25.1)
English: 25.4 (25.0)
Math: 25.7 (25.3)
Reading: 25.2 (24.9)
Science: 24.8 (24.8)
State avg. composite: 20.7
National avg. composite: 21.1
Source: Naperville Unit District 203