Ga., Richmond County students improve their ACT scores

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Richmond County School System Class of 2023 showed notable improvements in ACT scores as Georgia students overall beat the national average for the seventh year in a row.

Georgia’s Class of 2023 recorded an average composite score of 21.3, compared to the national average of 19.5.

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In Augusta, the Academy of Richmond County, A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet School and John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School scored above the national average in overall ACT scores.

T.W. Josey and Lucy C. Laney Comprehensive High Schools posted their highest scores in more than four years.

ARC, T.W. Josey, Lucy C. Laney, George P. Butler Comprehensive High School, Glenn Hills Comprehensive High School, and Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School improved or maintained ACT scores from 2022.

A.R. Johnson, ARC, Cross Creek High School, RCTCM, and Westside High School increased the number of test takers in their schools.

“We are excited to celebrate our students’ strong performance on the ACT,” said Dr. Malinda Cobb, associate superintendent of academic services. “Our Class of 2023 scores show our investments and commitments are paying off.”

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Georgia students’ average score decreased slightly compared to 2022, when the average was 21.6, but still exceeds the pre-pandemic average of 20.7. Georgia’s scores in every individual subject area were higher than the national average, with Georgia students recording their highest score in the subject area of reading:

Additionally, the percentage of Georgia students in the class of 2023 meeting ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks was higher than the national average in all subject areas, and the percentage of Georgia students who met all four benchmarks was eight percent higher than the national average.

The subject with the highest percentage of Georgia students meeting benchmarks was English, followed by reading.

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College Readiness benchmarks are scores on the ACT subject-area tests that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher, or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher, in corresponding credit-bearing first-year college courses.

Twenty-eight percent of the class of 2023 took the ACT. Seventy-four Georgia students achieved a perfect score of 36.

All scores are based on 2023 high school graduates who took the ACT at any point during high school.