Test Scores Continue to Soar :::
LT standardized testing continues to soar
Once again, Lyons Township High School test takers scored above state and national averages on
standardized tests: the ACT, the SAT, and Advanced Placement (AP) tests.
Repeat performance on AP scores
The performance of LT students on the Advanced Placement (AP) exams in 2009 mirrors their
performance in 2008, with the exception of a 1% change in the percent of students earning a 4 (-1)
and those earning a 5 (+1). In the spring of 2009, students scored 3 or above on 91% of the AP
tests taken. Scores of 3 or higher are often granted college level credit by many colleges/
universities. This year, 43% of the tests were scored at a 5, the highest possible score.
In eleven years, LT has more than doubled the number of students taking AP exams, and the
number of tests scoring a 5, the highest possible grade, more than tripled. In total, 579 students
took 1133 AP exams.
Students that receive college credit as a result of the AP score have an opportunity to
accelerate not only the pace at which they can take advanced courses but also may finish college
early, potentially saving thousands of dollars in tuition.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction Scott Eggerding said, “LT’s AP Program is about
quality, and our record is impressive. LT’s program is rooted in students being well prepared, with
appropriate prerequisites and staff well versed in technique and articulation. LT students are
equipped to succeed.”
AP exams were offered in 25 disciplines, each consisting of multiple-choice, essay, or
problem-solving questions. AP exams are graded on a 1-5 point scale (5 is the highest). Most of the
nation's colleges and universities award credit and/or placement for grades of 3 or higher, and
more than 1,300 institutions award one year of credit to students with a sufficient number of
qualifying grades.
ACT highest in LT history
LT’s composite ACT score for the graduating class of 2009 is the highest in the school’s
history, up one-tenth of a point over last year. LT's composite of 24.1 is 3.3 points above the
state average. LT has seen growth in their composite ACT score annually since 2004.
The ACT primarily serves as a measure of a student's preparation for college coursework in
the first year of college. ACT scores are curriculum-based achievement tests designed to assess
critical reasoning and high-order thinking skills in English, mathematics, reading, and science.
They reflect students’ skills and achievement as a result of their high school coursework. ACT
scores are reported on a scale of 1-36.
ACT research asserts that a student earning the minimum benchmark score on a subtest has a
50% chance of obtaining a B or higher in the associated college course and a 75% chance of earning
a C or higher in the associated college course. According to ACT', 43% of LT's students, who took
the ACT in 2009, are meeting all 4 college benchmarks.
SAT average at an all-time high
The SAT consists of critical reading, math and writing tests. The exam is designed to test
general reasoning abilities, to measure knowledge in specific content areas, and to test the
ability to apply that knowledge.
LT's 2009 college-bound senior SAT composite score of 1293, comprised of Critical Reading
(639) and Math (654), is at a 12 year high and is 101 points higher than that of the state and 277
points higher than the national average. LT’s writing score of 641 is not part of its composite,
yet sits well above the state mean of 583. The number of students taking the SAT decreased from 128
to 88 students.
The district is committed to continuing this upward trend with its ongoing district-wide goal
to increase opportunities for all students to maximize their performance on high stakes tests.
Superintendent Dr. Timothy Kilrea says, "LT’s challenge is to not only ensure a rigorous,
academic curriculum but to provide students with the practical tools they will need to serve them
their entire life.” He adds that “While standardized tests are merely a snapshot of a student and
school’s ability to perform, we owe it to them and to our community to make sure their scores
reflect their true abilities.”