The Condition of College and Career Readiness 2018 - West Virginia

www.act.org/research1© 2018 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. MR00878The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2018West Virginia Key Findings Performance• In the 2018 West Virginia graduating class, 11,601 graduates (65 percent) took the ACT test with a Composite score average of 20.3. This compares to 11,191 (65 percent) with an average of 20.6 in 2014. Nationally, 55% of 2018 graduates took the ACT with an average Composite score of 20.8. ~ There were 383 African American graduates from West Virginia who took the ACT (3 percent) with an average Composite score of 17.0. This compares to 433 (4 percent) with an average of 17.5, and 397 (4 percent) with an average of 17.1, for the 2017 and 2014 graduating classes, respectively. ~ There were 9,870 White graduates from West Virginia who took the ACT (85 percent) with an average Composite score of 20.5. This compares to 10,305 (86 percent) with an average of 20.6, and 9,792 (87 percent) with an average of 20.7, for the 2017 and 2014 graduating classes, respectively.• The 2018 West Virginia graduating class average English score was 19.8. This compares to 20.0 and 20.4 in 2017 and 2014, respectively.• The 2018 West Virginia graduating class average math score was 19.4. This compares to 19.4 and 19.5 in 2017 and 2014, respectively.• The 2018 West Virginia graduating class average reading score was 21.3. This compares to 21.2 and 21.4 in 2017 and 2014, respectively.• The 2018 West Virginia graduating class average science score was 20.4. This compares to 20.5 and 20.6 in 2017 and 2014, respectively.• In 2018, 19 percent of West Virginia graduates met all four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. This compares to 19 and 19 percent of 2017 and 2014 graduates, respectively. ~ In 2018, 33 percent of West Virginia graduates met zero ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. This compares to 31 and 28 percent of 2017 and 2014 graduates, respectively. ~ In 2018, 61 percent of West Virginia graduates met the ACT English College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 64 and 68 percent of 2017 and 2014 graduates, respectively.• 2018 West Virginia graduates taking more advanced English coursework demonstrated markedly higher average English scores than those who did not. In fact, 63 percent of West Virginia 2018 graduates taking four or more years of English met the ACT English College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 41 percent of students taking less than four years of English meeting the benchmark. ~ In 2018, 30 percent of West Virginia graduates met the ACT Math College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 30 and 31 percent of 2017 and 2014 graduates, respectively.• 2018 West Virginia graduates taking more advanced math coursework demonstrated markedly higher average math scores than those who did not. In fact, 33 percent of West Virginia 2018 graduates taking three or more years of math met the ACT Math College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 10 percent of students taking less than three years of math meeting the benchmark. www.act.org/research2 West Virginia The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2018 ~ In 2018, 46 percent of West Virginia graduates met the ACT Reading College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 47 and 45 percent of 2017 and 2014 graduates, respectively.• 2018 West Virginia graduates taking more advanced social studies coursework demonstrated markedly higher average reading scores than those who did not. In fact, 47 percent of West Virginia 2018 graduates taking three or more years of social studies met the ACT Reading College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 30 percent of students taking less than three years of social studies meeting the benchmark. ~ In 2018, 32 percent of West Virginia graduates met the ACT Science College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 32 and 32 percent of 2017 and 2014 graduates, respectively.• 2018 West Virginia graduates taking more advanced science coursework demonstrated markedly higher average science scores than those who did not. In fact, 35 percent of West Virginia 2018 graduates taking three or more years of science met the ACT Science College Readiness Benchmark. This compares to 17 percent of students taking less than three years of science meeting the benchmark.• In 2018, 3,815 (33 percent) of West Virginia graduates met three or four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. This compares to 3,920 and 3,813 (33 and 34 percent) out of 2017 and 2014 graduates, respectively. For reference, the national percentage of 2018 graduates meeting three or four benchmarks was 38%.• 47 percent of 2018 West Virginia graduates were Proficient or Above Proficient in understanding complex texts. STEM• In 2018, 6,686 West Virginia graduates (58 percent) indicated having an interest in STEM majors and/or careers. ~ Nationally, 45 percent of graduates indicated having an interest in STEM.• Compared to 12 percent of 2018 West Virginia graduates meeting the ACT STEM College Readiness Benchmark, graduates in 2