Lawrence high school seniors’ average ACT score increased in 2004 after dropping the previous two years.

In the Lawrence public school system, a total of 509 seniors who took the college entrance exam averaged a composite score of 23.7, up from 23.1 in 2003 and 23.4 in 2002.

Bishop Seabury Academy had one graduating senior in 2004 and wouldn’t divulge the composite score. Bishop Seabury Academy head of school Christopher Carter did say that the composite for 2003 was 26.

Lawrence seniors’ scores topped both statewide and national averages: Kansas had an average composite score of 21.6; the national average was 20.9.

Lawrence High School principal Steve Nilhas and Free State High School principal Joe Snyder both credited teachers for the improvement in Lawrence.

“But it’s something that may go down a point next year,” Nilhas said. “So, you can’t take too much credit for an increase.”

In 2002-2003, 525 Lawrence seniors took the college entrance exam.

Statewide, 23,472 graduating Kansas seniors took the test, down 341 from the previous year. Nationally, four in 10 high school graduates took the exam.

The test is scored from 1 to 36 and covers science, math, reading and English.

Lawrence schools see improvements (08-10-04) Lawrence schools rank No. 2 in national magazine study (05-11-04) ACT.org

At LHS, 255 seniors took the ACT this year, and improved the school’s score to 23.2, up from 22.6 in 2003.

FSHS also improved its score, widening the test score gap between the city’s high schools. The 254 Free State students to take the test had a composite of 24.2, up from 23.5 in 2003.

Statewide, the composite score was up by one-tenth of 1 percent from 21.5 in 2003.

“Overall, I am pleased with the performance of Kansas students on the ACT exam this year,” said Kansas Education Commissioner Andy Tompkins. “Our composite score is up a little bit, and we continue to score well against the rest of the nation.”

However, white students outpaced their black and Hispanic counterparts. Whites had a composite of 22, the same as Asian students, compared with 17.6 for blacks and 19.4 for Hispanics.

Tompkins said while Kansas minorities were outperforming their counterparts across the country, the gaps were a concern.

“This is an area that continues to be a focus for educators across the state and is a challenge that we hope, in time, to meet,” he said.

The ACT, when used with a student’s grade-point average, is designed to predict a student’s first-year college performance.

Income was also a factor in ACT performance. Students from families with an income of more than $100,000 averaged a composite score of 23.6, compared with 19.4 for students from families with an annual income of less than $18,000.