While national mean scores for college-bound students fell slightly this year, Lake Washington School District (LWSD) students scored higher on three of the four ACT tests (English, Reading and Science) and improved their average composite score. In addition, LWSD students continue to show significantly greater college readiness than state and national averages.

• The district’s average composite score rose by two tenths from 2009 to reach 25.3, compared to the state average of 23.0 (up .2), and the national average of 21.0, down .1 from 2008. At the same time, the number of LWSD students taking the test remained about the same, rising from 403 in 2009 to 408 in 2010.

• Average scores for LWSD students rose two tenths of a point on both Reading and Science, to 25.6 in Reading and 24.6 in Science. State scores in those two areas averaged 23.5 in Reading and 22.5 in Science. National scores fell to 21.3 in Reading and remained 20.9 in Science.

• Math scores fell slightly from 25.3 to 25.2 after a .5 gain in 2009. That score compares to 23.1 for the state average (up .2 from 2009) and a national average of 21.0.

• LWSD scores in English rose the most, from 24.9 in 2009 to 25.2 in 2010. State scores also rose, from 22.4 to 22.6. The national average fell to 20.5.

In addition, LWSD students who take the ACT continue to be more likely to meet college readiness standards than other students in Washington state or in the U.S.

In fact, more than half (51 percent) of LWSD students taking the ACT in 2010 met all four college readiness benchmarks, compared to 36 percent of students in Washington state and 24 percent of students nationwide.

The percentage of LWSD students who met the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks increased in math and reading, while falling in science and remaining the same in English.

The greatest gain came in reading, where 80 percent of district ACT test-takers met the college-readiness benchmark, compared to 67 percent statewide and 52 percent nationwide. That level is up three percent from last year for district students. Eighty percent of LWSD students met the math benchmark standard, up two percent, which compares to 61 percent statewide and 42 percent nationwide.

For English, 92 percent of Lake Washington students again met the benchmark this year, compared to 79 percent statewide and 66 percent nationwide.

The only area that showed a decline for LWSD was in science, where 56 percent met the benchmark, compared to 59 percent last year. While science scores were down slightly, Lake Washington students performed significantly better than state and national averages. In Washington state overall, 41 percent of students taking the ACT met the benchmark and nationwide the figure was 29 percent.