ACT Assessment Data : TIMSS 12th Grade Report : Q and A

February 24, 1998

* The Third International Math and Science Study by the National Center for Education Statistics

Have there been significant improvements in recent years in ACT math and science test scores?

Yes. Since 1990, the ACT math national average has increased from 20.0 to 20.6, and the national average in science reasoning has increased from 20.6 to 21.1. This supports TIMSS findings from other sources that U. S. math and science scores have been increasing. The ACT increases are largely attributable to greater numbers of students, especially females and minorities, taking higher level math and science courses.

Is the ACT Assessment less rigorous than end-of-school exams in other countries?

The ACT Assessment is not an end-of-school exam, since it is not meant as the last exam for anyone and it is not required of all students. Further, it does not cover all subjects; it covers only the core subjects of English, math, reading and science. The ACT is not used to determine whether students have successfully completed their elementary and secondary education. Rather, high school counselors use it to help students prepare for college, and colleges use it to support admissions and course-placement decisions. European end-of-school exams cover calculus, for instance, because they are, for many students, the final educational examination. In the U.S., on the other hand, calculus is generally considered a college course. The ACT mathematics test does not cover calculus because high school students traditionally have not been expected to take calculus. Many of those who plan to attend college are, however, expected to be ready to take calculus. Thus, the ACT mathematics exam tests students' skills in geometry and trigonometry, and it is a very precise indicator of students' readiness for college math courses.

According to ACT data, of students who go on to college, only 28% have a 50-50 probability of earning a B in the standard college algebra course and only 15% would earn a B or better in the first course of calculus. When we consider that approximately 65% of students go on to higher education, this would mean that, of all high school seniors, only 10% are prepared to earn a B or better in the first calculus course.

Moving to science, one finds similar results. For students going on to college, only 29% have a 50-50 chance of earning a B or better in the first course of chemistry. Again looking at all high school seniors, this would translate to only 19% being prepared to earn a B or better. These data support the TIMSS finding concerning the level of preparation of high school seniors in mathematics.

Is part of the explanation for the dropoff in U.S. students’ performance from the 4th to the 8th to the 12th grade that they do not take enough rigorous courses in high school?

That would seem to be the case. Of the ACT-tested students who intend to go to college, only 60 percent take at least four years of English, three years of math (algebra and higher), three years of science and three years of social sciences. The students who do take this core curriculum are generally well-prepared for college, but the percentage of college-bound students taking core courses should be much nearer 100 percent.

Do students from private schools perform better than public school students?

On the ACT Assessment, students who attend private schools average about 0.8 to 0.9 scale point higher than students who attend public schools.

Is there a gender gap on the ACT Assessment?

ACT research shows that less than 1 percent of the variance in ACT Assessment scores (including math and science) can be attributed to gender. Over the last four years, the gaps between the average scores for males and for females have been narrower than ever before.

What are the implications of low math and science achievement for future U.S. needs for, in Secretary Riley's words, "a steady and competent pool of employees"?

The preparation problems noted are not limited to higher education; they also impact the mathematics and science reasoning skills required in the workplace. According to ACT research related to the WorkKeys^® system, which defines and measures generic skills required in the workplace, the same types of problems found among college-bound students are found among those seeking jobs. ACT has determined that successful performance in 80 percent of the in-demand jobs that pay a living wage and require less than a four-year college degree calls for skills most high school seniors do not have. On the basis of initial WorkKeys testing, ACT estimates that 67% of high school graduates cannot meet the applied mathematics requirements for these jobs, and fully 90% cannot meet the applied technology (science) requirements.