Class of 2022 Had Lowest ACT Scores in Over 30 Years

[Anonymous]

There are so many variables. I wouldn’t read too much into a single data point. You can’t control for many factors - primarily how test optional affected who tested, how they prepped, how they tested, etc.

If we want to do something to help our students, better fund our schools. Make teaching more attractive. Reduce class size. Provide more resources for SN kids. Etc.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t it just a signal of what learning was lost during the first 2 years of COVID?

I feel like this year (beginning last spring) everyone snapped back to life as it was preCOVID but our kids really have experienced real learning loss. (And social loss too but that’s another post). Schools need to do more than revert to previous curriculum, but it’s hard for them to pivot (and it’s not on the teachers, they teach the curriculums they are give. It’s the curriculums that need to have a plan for learning catch up. IMO everyone working in the Department of Education (a huge building which must have a huge number of people working there) should be focused on this issue.

[Anonymous]

My hypothesis bout the scores is that higher scores were due to selection bias. One of the things that has been happening more in recent years is that the ACT and PSAT are being administered in public schools during the school day. This is part of a program of college and career readiness and a program of test company enrichment. However, it also means that a greater proportion of students who do not see themselves as college-bound are taking the tests. In an era where students are having trouble self-regulating enough to behave respectfully during a 90-minute class block, standardized testing feels boring and pointless. Teacher social media (Reddit, Tik Tok) is full of nightmare stories of teachers having to cancel scores because teens can’t adhere to testing protocol. Teachers are also sharing that kids are laughing about their low scores that are barely more points than you get for writing your name. It’s a game for them to fill in random bubbles quickly and then put their heads down. Previously, such low scores were not averaged into the mix because the students never would have opted in to taking the test in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are so many variables. I wouldn’t read too much into a single data point. You can’t control for many factors - primarily how test optional affected who tested, how they prepped, how they tested, etc.

If we want to do something to help our students, better fund our schools. Make teaching more attractive. Reduce class size. Provide more resources for SN kids. Etc.

You don't know much about data analysis.

This is a five year trend, and guess what, kids during each of those years prepped in various ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My hypothesis bout the scores is that higher scores were due to selection bias. One of the things that has been happening more in recent years is that the ACT and PSAT are being administered in public schools during the school day. This is part of a program of college and career readiness and a program of test company enrichment. However, it also means that a greater proportion of students who do not see themselves as college-bound are taking the tests. In an era where students are having trouble self-regulating enough to behave respectfully during a 90-minute class block, standardized testing feels boring and pointless. Teacher social media (Reddit, Tik Tok) is full of nightmare stories of teachers having to cancel scores because teens can’t adhere to testing protocol. Teachers are also sharing that kids are laughing about their low scores that are barely more points than you get for writing your name. It’s a game for them to fill in random bubbles quickly and then put their heads down. Previously, such low scores were not averaged into the mix because the students never would have opted in to taking the test in the first place.

Five year trend, with a 30% decline in the number of testers during the period, due to test optional policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many public school districts are now giving standardized tests during school. When I took the SATs, you have to sign up for it, pay and then take it at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. Who took the test? Students headed to college. Who didn't take the test? Students not going to college. These days, college is pushed on every student, even if they aren't prepared for it. That's where those scores come from.

Correct.

Low scores are a mix of free acts or sats provided to whomever can’t pay or automatically.
Now you can take it multiple times and pick your top competitive scores out and add them up. Sat at least
Colleges don’t care about tests anymore, they’re racist. So many students don’t bother, esp if applying to liberal schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My hypothesis bout the scores is that higher scores were due to selection bias. One of the things that has been happening more in recent years is that the ACT and PSAT are being administered in public schools during the school day. This is part of a program of college and career readiness and a program of test company enrichment. However, it also means that a greater proportion of students who do not see themselves as college-bound are taking the tests. In an era where students are having trouble self-regulating enough to behave respectfully during a 90-minute class block, standardized testing feels boring and pointless. Teacher social media (Reddit, Tik Tok) is full of nightmare stories of teachers having to cancel scores because teens can’t adhere to testing protocol. Teachers are also sharing that kids are laughing about their low scores that are barely more points than you get for writing your name. It’s a game for them to fill in random bubbles quickly and then put their heads down. Previously, such low scores were not averaged into the mix because the students never would have opted in to taking the test in the first place.

I used to be a teacher. My state decided to make the ACT mandatory for ALL students years ago. People often ask me when & why I decided to leave teaching. I vividly remember exactly when I made the decision- proctoring the ACT test. For ALL students. Whether it was an appropriate test for each student or not, whether they were college bound or not.

It took me away from my students and valuable teaching time to make all HS juniors take the ACT (state law) whether it was appropriate or not.

As I walked around, a particular student stared at me. Looking up from the test with tears in his eyes. Confused. Defeated.

As I looked into his eyes all of my hard work pouring into this child was gone. He wasn't going to NASA. He had no interest into going to college - 4 or 2 year. He knew hard work and exactly where he was going- somewhere he thrived: an apprenticeship.

My goal for this child was simple- pass the class (most likely by pure grit) and walk away without feeling like he was the stupidest kid alive. And I worked hard on this relationship piece. And as he looked up at me, I knew all this was gone.

I felt like a failure for making him take this test that wouldn't improve anything for him. He was going to get a score that he would have stamped on his 'intelligence' the rest of his life. That number that tailed him that said "yup! You are dumb," not taking into account his actual intelligence. Not taking into account that welding was his passion, and his skill, especially at 16, was well above par.

Looking back, I don't blame myself or other teachers. I don't blame our administration. I still don't. Nor do I care to blame. I just want a change in how we approach education and how we value equality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many public school districts are now giving standardized tests during school. When I took the SATs, you have to sign up for it, pay and then take it at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. Who took the test? Students headed to college. Who didn't take the test? Students not going to college. These days, college is pushed on every student, even if they aren't prepared for it. That's where those scores come from.

Correct.

Low scores are a mix of free acts or sats provided to whomever can’t pay or automatically.
Now you can take it multiple times and pick your top competitive scores out and add them up. Sat at least
Colleges don’t care about tests anymore, they’re racist. So many students don’t bother, esp if applying to liberal schools.

Just because black kids don't do well does not make a test racist, no matter how many times you say it.

[Anonymous]

Is this being repeated in all standardized tests —

Sat, gre, mcat, gmat etc?

Or is this an act issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hypothesis bout the scores is that higher scores were due to selection bias. One of the things that has been happening more in recent years is that the ACT and PSAT are being administered in public schools during the school day. This is part of a program of college and career readiness and a program of test company enrichment. However, it also means that a greater proportion of students who do not see themselves as college-bound are taking the tests. In an era where students are having trouble self-regulating enough to behave respectfully during a 90-minute class block, standardized testing feels boring and pointless. Teacher social media (Reddit, Tik Tok) is full of nightmare stories of teachers having to cancel scores because teens can’t adhere to testing protocol. Teachers are also sharing that kids are laughing about their low scores that are barely more points than you get for writing your name. It’s a game for them to fill in random bubbles quickly and then put their heads down. Previously, such low scores were not averaged into the mix because the students never would have opted in to taking the test in the first place.

I used to be a teacher. My state decided to make the ACT mandatory for ALL students years ago. People often ask me when & why I decided to leave teaching. I vividly remember exactly when I made the decision- proctoring the ACT test. For ALL students. Whether it was an appropriate test for each student or not, whether they were college bound or not.

It took me away from my students and valuable teaching time to make all HS juniors take the ACT (state law) whether it was appropriate or not.

As I walked around, a particular student stared at me. Looking up from the test with tears in his eyes. Confused. Defeated.

As I looked into his eyes all of my hard work pouring into this child was gone. He wasn't going to NASA. He had no interest into going to college - 4 or 2 year. He knew hard work and exactly where he was going- somewhere he thrived: an apprenticeship.

My goal for this child was simple- pass the class (most likely by pure grit) and walk away without feeling like he was the stupidest kid alive. And I worked hard on this relationship piece. And as he looked up at me, I knew all this was gone.

I felt like a failure for making him take this test that wouldn't improve anything for him. He was going to get a score that he would have stamped on his 'intelligence' the rest of his life. That number that tailed him that said "yup! You are dumb," not taking into account his actual intelligence. Not taking into account that welding was his passion, and his skill, especially at 16, was well above par.

Looking back, I don't blame myself or other teachers. I don't blame our administration. I still don't. Nor do I care to blame. I just want a change in how we approach education and how we value equality.

I’m a teacher and you are being way overly dramatic about the ACT. All your hard work with that kid was not gone in an instant.
You could have explained to the kid later how ACT and SAT is not a measure of intelligence and more tied to your parents socio-economic background.
Maybe he had a bit of a crash during the ACT but you could have lifted him up again.
And for some kids, it works the opposite. They are not planning on going to college and presume they don’t have what it takes but then they do better in the SAT/ACT than they thought they would and suddenly college does not seem like an impossible dream any more

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this being repeated in all standardized tests —

Sat, gre, mcat, gmat etc?

Or is this an act issue.

The article says the SAT has only dropped 10 points over the same period. And also the ACT has gained market share. It’s a clickbait headline attached to a much less significant story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many public school districts are now giving standardized tests during school. When I took the SATs, you have to sign up for it, pay and then take it at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. Who took the test? Students headed to college. Who didn't take the test? Students not going to college. These days, college is pushed on every student, even if they aren't prepared for it. That's where those scores come from.

today's tests are also scored differently than 30 years ago for example 1400 then was comparable to 1550 today

there's been so much grade and test inflation these past few decades a direct comparison is meaningless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this being repeated in all standardized tests —

Sat, gre, mcat, gmat etc?

Or is this an act issue.

Kids who do poorly on SATs and ACTs aren't going to be taking higher level tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this being repeated in all standardized tests —

Sat, gre, mcat, gmat etc?

Or is this an act issue.

Kids who do poorly on SATs and ACTs aren't going to be taking higher level tests.

Right I want to know if everyone suffered from some learning loss or only the left half of the distribution

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many public school districts are now giving standardized tests during school. When I took the SATs, you have to sign up for it, pay and then take it at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. Who took the test? Students headed to college. Who didn't take the test? Students not going to college. These days, college is pushed on every student, even if they aren't prepared for it. That's where those scores come from.

Correct.

Low scores are a mix of free acts or sats provided to whomever can’t pay or automatically.
Now you can take it multiple times and pick your top competitive scores out and add them up. Sat at least
Colleges don’t care about tests anymore, they’re racist. So many students don’t bother, esp if applying to liberal schools.

But this has been offered for free at school districts for years. This isn’t a new option.