Information Brief 2012-5
ACT College Readiness Benchmark Attainment in Reading by Race/Ethnicity and Income
The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks indicate readiness for credit-bearing first-year college coursework in English, reading, mathematics, and science. In reading, 52% of ACT-tested 2011 high school graduates met the ACT College Readiness Benchmark, while 66% met the benchmark in English, 45% met the Benchmark in mathematics, and 30% met the Benchmark in science. The following chart shows how ACT-tested 2011 high school graduates’ college readiness in reading varies with family income and race/ethnicity.
Percentage Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity and Income—Reading
| Race/Ethnicity | % Meeting Benchmark | % Near Benchmark | % ≥ 3 pts below the Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 83 | 7 | 10 |
| White | 74 | 10 | 16 |
| Hispanic | 65 | 11 | 24 |
| African American | 43 | 12 | 45 |
| Race/Ethnicity | % Meeting Benchmark | % Near Benchmark | % ≥ 3 pts below the Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 67 | 11 | 22 |
| White | 62 | 13 | 25 |
| Hispanic | 45 | 14 | 41 |
| African American | 29 | 14 | 57 |
| Race/Ethnicity | % Meeting Benchmark | % Near Benchmark | % ≥ 3 pts below the Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 45 | 13 | 42 |
| White | 47 | 14 | 39 |
| Hispanic | 27 | 13 | 60 |
| African American | 16 | 12 | 72 |
Note: Based on data from 1,109,900 ACT-tested 2011 high school graduates in these racial/ethnic groups who reported family income. This count reflects a nonresponse rate of about 24% for these groups and may not be representative of the underlying population of ACT-tested high school graduates.
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