Stevenson Achieves Record ACT Scores

Stevenson High School's Class of 2010 earned the highest composite ACT score in school history, and set new records on each section of the college entrance examination, the school announced in August.

The school's composite score of 26.2 marked the first time its average topped 26. The highest possible ACT score is 36. The 2009-10 scores, based on results from 1,062 seniors' exams, topped the school's previous composite record of 25.7, which is achieved in both 2007-08 and 2008-09.

"This is a tremendous accomplishment by an incredible group of students and teachers," District 125 Superintendent Dr. Eric Twadell said in a statement. "Reaching a 26 composite score has been a goal of our district for several years, and to finally make it is wonderful. When you look at these ACT scores, plus the record setting results of last spring's Advanced Placement exams, it's clear that the Class of 2010 was one of the highest achieving groups of students Stevenson has ever had."

The Class of 2010 received all-time high scores on the mathematics, English, reading and science sections of the ACT. The mathematics score was 27.0, topping the previous best of 26.6 set in 2008. The English score of 26.3 was a school record, better than the 26.1 mark from 2008 and 2009, while the reading score of 25.7 surpassed the old mark of 25.2, set in 2006 and matched in 2008. The science score of 25.2 broke the previous record of 24.6 from last year.

The latest ACT results also show that Stevenson's most recent graduates are well prepared for college. The percentage of SHS graduates that can be expected to earn a B or C in a first-year college course based on ACT scores far exceeded the percentage of students statewide, according to the district. Those expectations apply to:

• College English Composition – 93 percent of Stevenson graduates, compared to 64 percent of all graduating Illinois high school seniors. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in English is 18 on the English portion of the exam.
• College Algebra -- 85 percent of Stevenson graduates; 40 percent statewide. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in algebra is 22 on the mathematics portion of the exam.
• College Social Science – 81 percent of Stevenson graduates; 48 percent statewide. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in social science is 21 on the reading portion of the exam.
• College Biology – 63 percent of Stevenson graduates; 27 percent statewide. The ACT benchmark score to determine college readiness in biology is 24 on the science portion of the exam.