Amid a decrease in the national ACT score, MHS continues to rise above the average and recover from the pandemic.
The national average ACT score dropped from 19.8 in 2022 to 19.5 in 2023. This is the lowest the average has been in the last 30 years, and the score has been decreasing since 2018.
MHS, however, had an average score of 24.29 in 2023, which was an increase from 2022.
Julia Welker, testing coordinator, said this is the first year since the pandemic that the score has increased, but student testing rates have not changed.
“We have been providing the ACT to all juniors for close to 15 years, so the participation rate has remained constant,” Welker said. “The number of students who elect to take the PSAT and SAT also has similar numbers from year to year.”
Only 66% of Missouri students take the ACT, so MHS is well ahead of the rest of the state in test participation.
Recently, ACT has released a nationwide report detailing events that have affected the national average score. It includes the pandemic, a decrease in post-secondary enrollment and a 2.7% increase in the number of students who took the ACT.
Welker said these events have impacted MHS students as well.
“It is my hope every year for students to have access to a college admissions test and the ability to achieve success on it,” Welker said.
Melissa Burger, language arts teacher, runs the ACT prep program at MHS. She said the program allows students to gain 20 hours of instruction from MHS teachers for specific sections of the ACT.
“The more practice you put into a test like the ACT, the more you will see growth and, oftentimes, that translates into the score,” Burger said.
She said the program consistently sees improvement in students’ scores, and attributes MHS’ high average score partially to the prep program making it rewarding.
“Not just simply because students improve their score,” Burger said, “but because a lot of times students will come back and ask clarifying questions or just really want to learn more.”
Max Radovilsky, sophomore, was signed up for the prep program by his parents but said he is glad to be part of it.
“I think it’s better for me because it helps me work on strategies to complete the test,” Radovilsky said.
Radovilsky said he’s not surprised the MHS score is higher than the national average.
“We’re a smart school. Teachers work hard to make sure you know all the knowledge, and there’s a lot of help provided to make sure you get a good score,” Radovilsky said.
