Every Alabama principal and superintendent’s nightmare seems to becoming true.
Low ACT scores.
In 2022, according to the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, the Yellowhammer State experienced the lowest ACT test scores since 2015.
Many Alabama educators blame the COVID pandemic, a time when schools were closed throughout the country, for the decline.
The class of 2022’s sophomore and junior years were unusual – the sophomore year was cut short by school closings due to the COVID lockdowns. The class’s junior year was a combination of remote and in-person learning.
The class of 2021’s average ACT score was almost a full point higher than that of 2022’s.
However, the issue isn’t only effecting students in Alabama. Students throughout the country had a decline in ACT scores, according to a tweet from the testing service.
“ACT scores provide a valuable window into a critical transition point for our nation’s students,” @usedgov @IESResearch Director Mark Schneider observes. “Many of the most disturbing trends we have seen in @NAEP_NCES are also evident in the ACT results.” https://t.co/5fGK8uQbkU pic.twitter.com/jCs8NZDjgS
— ACT (@ACT) March 24, 2023
The ACT said the number of Alabama students taking the test three or more times decreased from around 21,000 in 2017 to 13,000 for the class of 2022. White and Hispanic students reportedly saw a steeper drop in performance than Blacks and Asians in testing in 2022.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
