The state’s low ranking in total ACT scores, and scores fromLincoln County schools, are a bit misleading, according to LincolnCounty School District officials.

In Lincoln County, the total composite ACT score was 17.9,compared to the state’s 18.6, as reported by the Southern RegionalEducation Board, which compared scores in 16 Southeastern statesfrom 1992 to 2002. Mississippi’s average score of 18.6 was thelowest, not only in the region, but in the nation in 2002.

The average score at each district school varies. Two scoredabove the district average and two below. Except for Bogue Chitto,however, the schools were all below the state average of 18.6.

Bogue Chitto recorded the highest total composite ACT scoreaverage at 18.6. Loyd Star was slightly under that average with an18.4. Under the district average were West Lincoln and Enterprise,posting scores of 17.6 and 17.4, respectively.

According to Lincoln County School District Superintendent PerryMiller, however, those results are misleading.

Miller said he dislikes discussing average scores on ACTsbecause there are too many variables. To properly compare ACTscores, he said, educators would have to narrow the field andcompare “like to like.”

“What you have to remember is that those are the average scoresof students who actually take the test,” he said. “It’s unfair tocompare averages unless every eligible student in every state takesthe ACT. I think if we are going to compare ACT scores nationallythen, nationally, every graduating senior should be taking thetest.”

In Mississippi, he said, educators encourage all studentseligible to take the test to do so, but that is not a commonpractice nationally.

“We have several students who take the test beginning in thetenth grade so they can improve their scores as they progressthrough school,” Miller said.

In the 1999-2000 school year, which is the most recent dataMiller said he had, 82 percent of the seniors took the test andmany juniors and sophomores also took the test.

“The more students who take the test, the lower the scores.That’s just how averaging works,” he said. “Our top scores willcompete with anyone’s. We have several each year who score over 25.Those who score low, though, will put those high scores down duringaveraging.”

Many schools, Miller said, only test the top 15-20 percent oftheir seniors. This results in them getting high scores and skewsthe national and state averages, making them unreliable.

“Our average is the average of those taking the test, not theaverage of those who should be taking the test like in manystates,” he said. “It’s not just the top 15-20 percent of thegraduating class who take the test here. We test a wider rangebecause we want more of an indication of how our students aredoing.”

When the ACT field is narrowed to only those students who aretaking college preparatory courses, Miller said the score isslightly above the state average at 19. Of the 180 students takingthe ACT, 73 are seniors taking the college prep curriculum.

Students taking college prep courses tend to score well on thetest and bring up the total average score. The remaining 107students, however, are seniors not taking college preparatorycourses, or they are sophomores and juniors. They do not tend toscore as highly and bring the total average down.

The district has several initiatives Miller said will continueto improve the district’s scores.

Those initiatives include the “No Child Left Behind” program,which entails more rigorous testing procedures and more educatedteachers.

“We’re striving to improve our scores every year,” he said. “Arewe where we want to be? No. We want to make them better.”

Another area of concern in the national rankings is the wideninggap between black and white students’ test scores inMississippi.

“We have no data on that,” Miller said. “We don’t keep thosestatistics. All our students, black or white, are students plainand simple. They’re all treated the same.”

For that reason, he said, the district does not compile separatedata based on race.

Wednesday: A look at scores at Brookhaven Academy.