GHS looking to improve ACT scores

In the past year the Guthrie school district has made an emphasis on working with upper quartile students and better preparing them for college courses. This is an area that the district has identified as needing improving.

Chad Wilson, Executive Director of Personnel and Secondary Education, and Guthrie High School Principal Chris LeGrande spoke to the Board of Education at a recent school board meeting on the recent ACT scores and their plan to better prepare students for college courses.

For years a primary focus around the state has been working with lower quartile students, who do not take the ACT test, and perhaps not enough of an emphasis on the upper level. Now, the Guthrie school district is putting more of a focus in that area to help increase student’s ability when it comes to taking college courses.

Wilson shared a five-year trend with the BOE and showed them that 115 students (63 percent) of the 2013 graduating class had taken the ACT test.

In English, those students averaged a 19.1 compared to the state’s average of 20.4. In 2012, GHS scored a 19.4 and in 2011 was at 18.9.

In mathematics, Guthrie students averaged a 19.2 compared to the state’s average of 20.1. In 2012, GHS scored an 18.9 and in 2011 scored a 19.2.

In reading,  Guthrie students averaged a 20.4 compared to the state’s average of 21.4. In 2012, GHS scored an 20.4 and in 2011 scored a 20.0.

In science, Guthrie students averaged a 20.0 compared to the state’s average of 20.8. In 2012, GHS scored an 19.9 and in 2011 scored a 19.5.

In each scenario, GHS scored below the state average dating back to 2009.

Overall, the composite score of all four areas, the district scored an 19.8 compared to the 20.8 state average. The school district was also at 19.8 in 2012 and in 2011 was at 19.5.

Wilson went on to say that 16 percent of the students, who took the test, were ready for college level coursework compared to the state’s 23 percent.

“We are working hard to increase our scores,” second-year principal LeGrande said.

LeGrande said the school has set up five different courses this year, including German, Physics, Concurrent Biology with Langston University and Chemistry 2 in hopes of getting students involved and raising their ACT scores.

In addition, the school has set up an “advisory time” with the students. At the end of each month, students will meet with a specific teacher in small groups of 10-15 students and talk about their plan of study. According to LeGrande, other schools have had success with the program and believes this will directly help with their scores.