Kansas was one of five states in which 75 percent or more of graduating seniors participated in the exam. Of those states, Kansas ranks first in composite scores. The number of students participating in the exam was up more than 3.5 percent from 1999. At the same time, the average composite score was up .1 percent from 1999. A gap in scores still exists between disadvantaged students and their more advantaged peers.
Socioeconomic status remains a major predictor of student scores across all ethnic categories.
Even given that disparity, Kansas students still fared better than those nationally. Other Kansas statistics are attached. This is an increase of more than three and one-half percent over the previous year. When all graduates are considered together, the composite score for the nation remained stable, while the composite score for Kansas increased .1 from 1999 to 2000. Kansas mean scores remained the same in English and increased .2 in mathematics, .2 in reading, and .2 in science reasoning from 1999 to 2000.