Trend in ACT scores shows growing racial gap

Well the trend this year for Illinois' high school seniors are low in general. It's only decreased by one-tenth (.1), so this small number may not be that big of a deal. An expert was quoted in the article as saying: "This year's decline, though small, is "statistically significant,'' but given Illinois' slow but steady increase since 2006, 'I don't think that's a drop that I would be concerned about yet,' said ACT spokesman Ed Colby."

At the same time this ought to be a concern:

While white Illinois seniors saw their average ACT scores rise from 22.0 five years ago to 22.4 in both 2009 and 2010, the state's African-American students saw their scores go in the opposite direction.

The average African-American Illinois senior scored 16.9 in 2006, compared to 16.8 in 2009 and 16.7 in 2010, new data released today showed.

Illinois' Hispanic scores dipped from 18.2 last year to 18.0 this year, but were up slightly from five years ago, when Illinois Hispanics averaged a score of 17.9.
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The growing gap comes even though the No Child Left Behind Law has stepped up pressure on schools to close such gaps on state tests, which in Illinois includes the ACT.

African-American students stand to benefit if Illinois wins its bid for $400 million in Federal Race to the Top funds, Fergus said, because part of the money would bankroll the "turnaround" of low-scoring schools, many of which serve minority students.

Well let's be sure some of our black high school seniors, will score well enough on the ACTs to be able to get into college. Or at the very least let's be sure they are ready for college.