The Condition of College Readiness, 2009

Since 1959, ACT has collected and reported data on students' academic readiness for college. Because becoming ready for college is a process that occurs throughout elementary and secondary education, measuring academic performance over time in the context of college readiness provides meaningful and compelling information about the college readiness of students. A focus on the number and percentage of students meeting or exceeding the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks does just that. Empirically derived--based on the performance of students in college--a College Readiness Benchmark is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject-area test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding first-year credit-bearing college course. These college courses include English Composition, College Algebra, an introductory social science course (e.g., History, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, and Economics), and Biology. Using ACT[R] test scores and the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, this report provides a snapshot of the college readiness of the graduating seniors of the class of 2009 who took the ACT in high school. This report is organized into five sections: (1) Access & Preparation; (2) Academic Performance; (3) College Readiness; (4) Educational/Career Aspirations & Economic Development; and (5) Policies & Practices to Increase College Readiness. [This state report is based on the "ACT Profile Report--National: Graduating Class 2009" (ED506367).]