Information Brief 2012-7
ACT College Readiness Benchmark Attainment in Science 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 science, 30% 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 52% met the Benchmark in reading. The following chart shows how ACT-tested 2011 high school graduates’ college readiness in science varies with family income and race/ethnicity.
Percentage Meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity and Income—Science
| Race/Ethnicity | % Meeting Benchmark | % Near Benchmark | % ≥ 3 pts below the Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 68 | 13 | 19 |
| White | 51 | 17 | 32 |
| Hispanic | 39 | 17 | 44 |
| African American | 20 | 14 | 66 |
| Race/Ethnicity | % Meeting Benchmark | % Near Benchmark | % ≥ 3 pts below the Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 48 | 17 | 35 |
| White | 36 | 18 | 46 |
| Hispanic | 20 | 15 | 65 |
| African American | 10 | 10 | 80 |
| Race/Ethnicity | % Meeting Benchmark | % Near Benchmark | % ≥ 3 pts below the Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 30 | 15 | 55 |
| White | 21 | 15 | 64 |
| Hispanic | 8 | 10 | 82 |
| African American | 4 | 6 | 90 |
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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