Questions surrounding declining admissions test scores are being asked by teachers, school administrators, and state agencies. The general public as well as the measurement profession is involved in consideration of the issues. To better inform these discussions we explore in this report the dimensions of the decline in ACT scores.
Some generalizations are possible about the nature of the decline.
The decline in test score averages has been accompanied by an increased variability in the academic achievement of students tested. Declining admissions test scores are a national phenomenon, occurring in all regions and in nearly all states. The percentage of ACT-tested high scoring students has remained about the same over the last five years, while the percentage of low scoring students has increased. There are marked sex differences. Overall the scores of men have not declined appreciably over the last five years, but the scores of women have declined considerably.