By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Williams Bay high schoolers continue to outperform the state in the region’s largest college placement exam.
Williams Bay High School students, on average, garnered a 23.7 score on ACT exams taken during the 2011-12 school year, based on recent results from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The state average this past school year was 22.1.
Participation rates in Williams Bay also surpassed the state average. Twenty-seven of Williams Bay’s eligible students took the ACT this past school year, representing a 65.9 percent rate. Statewide, the average was 60.8 percent.
While there can be fluctuations in average test scores and participation rates from one year to the next, Williams Bay has historically been a high-achieving high school, district Superintendent Vance Dalzin said.
According to state DPI data, average ACT scores have been on an upward climb in the past 15 years. In the 1997-98 school year, the high school’s average score was 21.0. The highest cumulative score – 24.0 – was achieved in 2009-10.
Participation rates within the district also have been strong with percentages hovering in the 60 to 80 percent range. The highest level of participation – 88.9 percent – was recorded in the 1999-2000 school year.
Williams Bay’s most recent participation rate is at least a 10-percent drop from previous years.
In 2008-09, 77.5 percent of eligible students took the test, followed by 75.9 percent in 2009-10 and 75.7 percent in 2010-11.
According to the state DPI, more females took the most recent ACT in Williams Bay than boys on a slim margin. Girls also outperformed boys by nearly a full point this past year. Both trends have been mirrored within the district in years past.
Dalzin said the district is continuously pleased with ACT results that come in, but he said he another staff members do not rest on the laurels. Data, he said, is continuously analyzed.
“We have between 70 and 80 percent of our students going on to college, so this is a good measurement for us,” Dalzin said. “We’ve had the highest ACT scores in Walworth County, and we believe students in Williams Bay are well prepared as they look to enter college.”
Dalzin said there are no specifics to report at this time, but recent ACT results could go into future decisions concerning curriculum and instruction – just as they have in the past.
“Our faculty and staff are very reflective,” Dalzin said. “They are constantly looking at data, and we want to ensure our students continue to be prepared for life after high school.”
The ACT, which entails 215 multiple-choice questions, is viewed as one of the most important standardized tests in high school. Results are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S.
Students are tested on their aptitude in four core subjects: English, math, reading and science.
