Testing Triumph :::
LT continues testing triumphs
Once again, Lyons Township High School test takers scored above state and national averages on standardized tests: the American College Test (ACT), the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT I), and Advanced Placement (AP) tests.
In the spring of 2007, students scored 3 or above on 92% of the Advanced Placement tests taken. Scores of 3 or higher are often granted college level credit by many college/universities. In total, 562 students took 1053 AP exams.
Over the past decade, the number of students tested and the number of tests taken have more than doubled, and the number of tests scoring a 5, the highest possible grade, more than tripled.
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 2007 is the highest in the school’s
history. LT’s score of 23.8 is up four-tenths of a point over last year. LT continues to outpace
ACT state and national averages; the district’s composite score rose for the fourth consecutive
year. Nationally, the average ACT composite score inched to 21.2, up from 21.1 last year, while the
state’s composite score stayed stagnant at 20.5.
It’s important to note that LT’s composite ACT score surpassed where it was six years ago when only the scores of college-bound students who elected to take the test were reported. Beginning in 2001, all juniors were required to take the ACT as part of the Prairie State Achievement exam. Since then, LT has increased it total overall score.
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.
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 SAT composite score of reading and math for 2007 is 1274, above the state average of
1205 and significantly higher than the national average of 1017. The number of students taking the
SAT continues to shrink – 99 in 2007; 139 in 2006; 173 in 2005; as the ACT grows in
popularity and is accepted at more and more universities around the country.
"LT’s challenges remain the same: ensure a rigorous, academic curriculum; provide sound
instruction; motivate and support students; and search for effective preparation tools,” according
to Superintendent Dr. Dennis Kelly. He adds that “ACT and SAT scores play an important role in LT
students getting into the best colleges. We owe it to them and to our community to make sure their
scores reflect their true abilities.”
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