Testing Success :::
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.
Record number AP top scores
In the spring of 2008, students scored 3 or above on 91% of the Advanced Placement
tests taken. Scores of 3 or higher are often granted college level credit by many
college/universities. This year, a record 42% of the tests were scored at a 5, the highest possible
score.
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.
In total, 586 students took 1117 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 2008 is the highest in the
school’s history. LT’s score of 24.0 is up two-tenths of a point over last year. The sub-scores for
English, Math, Reading and Science are also at their highest all-time averages.
LT continues to outpace ACT state and national averages; the district’s composite score rose
for the fifth consecutive year. Nationally, the average ACT composite score dropped to 21.1, from
21.2 last year, while the state’s composite score raised at the same rate as LT’s – up.2 to 20.7.
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 2008 college-bound senior SAT composite score of 1291, comprised of Critical Reading
(633) and Math (658), is at an 11 year high and statistically higher than the state composite of
1184. LT’s writing score of 628 is not part of its composite, yet sits well above the state mean of
578. The number of students taking the SAT increased to 128, up from 99 in 2007.
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.
For the first time at LT, all current juniors will take a practice ACT test during the school
day. Teachers will then receive item analysis to determine how their classes performed, allowing
them to pinpoint areas that need review and adapt their lesson plans and teaching to highlight
areas of concern. Students will be sent a detailed list of their performance in multiple categories
so that they may alter their studies to better prepare for the official ACT administered in the
spring.
In addition, LT’s evening ACT Test Prep curriculum was evaluated over the summer to maximize
its effectiveness. Low-income and Special Education students are being offered ACT prep classes at
no charge, and a new ACT test prep class will be available for students in second semester study
hall.
"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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