Science scores weakest on exam: Many grads miss ACT mark, but most don't take test

A college preparatory exam that many recent graduates took showed that most of their English, math and reading skills are strong, but their science marks could use some improvement.

Just over a third of Johnson County’s May public high school graduates took the ACT exam, one of the two exams high school students can take to show how prepared they are for college.

Colleges accept either the SAT or the ACT from prospective students. The SAT exam focuses more on math and reading with critical thinking-style questions, while the ACT reviews what students have learned in math, English, reading and science.

Students from Center Grove High School did better than the state average and beat the ACT’s recommended scores in all four subjects. Students who meet or exceed those ACT scores are likely to succeed in similar college courses, an ACT score report said.

Franklin, Greenwood and Indian Creek graduates, on average, matched or surpassed the ACT standards in most subjects but fell short in science. Edinburgh students were short of the ACT standard in all four subjects, the report said.

One reason for the lower science scores is that high schools don’t place as much emphasis on that subject as they do on English and Algebra I, subjects in which students must pass end-of-course assessments to graduate, Greenwood Community High School guidance director Bill Ronk said.

This story appears in the print edition of Daily Journal. Subscribers can read the entire story online by signing in here or in our e-Edition by clicking here.