Plainfield High Schools Set New District-High Record for ACT Scores

The Class of 2011 at the four Plainfield high schools set an all-time district high on the ACT college entrance test, averaging a 20.7 score on the exam.

The results broke the record of 20.6 that was set by the class of 2010, but is slightly below the state average of 20.9 and the national average of 21.1.

The exam, which uses a 36-point scale, measures students readiness for college and is used in the Midwest to determine if a student gets accepted to a college or university.

About 1,711 seniors from the four high schools took the exam, according to information provided by the district. The district’s composite score for reading dropped by two-tenths of a point from last year, but the students scored best in district history in the areas of math, English and science.

“Our students’ performance continues to improve on the ACT exam, which is one of several important measures of their academic achievement,” Carmen Ayala, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said in a statement. “Despite the many challenges that our district, families and students face, we remain committed to ensuring that all of our students learn and grow to the best of their abilities.”

Plainfield Central, North and South high schools continue to show improvements in the past several years, district data shows. This was the first time students at Plainfield East High School took the test.

saw its composite scores rise from a 20.3 by the class of 2005 to a 20.7 this year.

At , students jumped 1.3 points since 2005. Students at South posted an average composite score of 20.5 this year.

seniors saw the district’s biggest gains: students averaged a 19 in 2007, but jumped to a 22.1 this year.

seniors averaged a 19.6, and East senior Javier Suarez was one of just handfuls of students in the state who scored a perfect score of 36. Suarez was the first District 202 student to score a perfect score since 2007.

The average reading scores districtwide dropped from a 20.8 score in 2010 to a 20.6 this year, though the scores have risen since the class of 2005, which scored a 19.7.

The district’s average math score of 21.1 exceeds the state average of 20.9 and is on par with the national average.

English scores rose from 19.8 last year to an average of 20.1 this year, just less than the state average.

Science scores also showed gains from 20.5 last year to 20.7 this year, the same as the state average.