For the second year running, Iola eighth-graders scored above the national average on a nationally recognized college readiness test.
When 103 students arrived at the middle school Dec. 21, instead of going about the day as usual, they took the ACT Explore exam, a precursor test to the ACT that is required to attend most colleges in America.
The results are in.
As a class, Iola’s eighth-graders scored above the national average in all four academic sections — English, math, reading and science.
“We beat the nation,” said Jack Stanley, IMS principal and a big proponent of students taking college readiness tests early and often. “Our kids are scoring above the national average. And if you look to 2010, our eighth-grade group that did it last year, we’re very comparable. So, even though it’s a totally different group taking it, they’re still scoring consistently.”
While the average score in reading was 14.6 percent for this year’s Explore takers nationwide, Iola’s Explore takers averaged 15.9. That trend held steady throughout the three other academic areas.
In September 2010, the Kansas State Department of Education made two tests available to every eighth- and 10th-grade public school student with the intention of preparing them for ACTs.
The ACT precursor exams is built and formatted in the same fashion as the 52-year-old college-readiness test, but on a graduated scale of difficulty. That means that Explore tests can, and often do, require up to three hours to complete.
IOLA HIGH also received an honor this week, being named the Top Kansas School of Character Excellence. Watch the Iola Register for further information on the recognition.
