Brookhaven School District students’ 2008 scores on the ACT heldsteady with those of the previous year and Lincoln County SchoolDistrict students showed improvement, according to statisticsrecently released by school officials.

A composite score of 19.1 allowed city school district studentsto be above the state average for the fifth consecutive year. Thestate average this year was 18.9.

“We’re pleased to be above the state average again for the fifthyear in a row, because that’s something we strive for every year,”Brookhaven School District Superintendent Lea Barrett said.”Obviously raising test scores is something we’re always trying towork toward in our district.”

Among individual test areas, city school students scored best inEnglish and Reading, with 19.5 totals in both categories. Thelowest test subject area score was in Math at 18.1, which wasone-tenth of a point below the state average of 18.2.

In the Lincoln County School District, students’ composite scoreimproved by fourth-tenths of a point from 18.2 last year to 18.6this year. The 2008 score, however, still trailed the state averageof 18.9.

District Director of Curriculum Richelle Ratcliff said districtofficials were happy to see the composite score improve – which ithas now done for the fourth consecutive year – and are eager to seethe numbers continue to increase.

Ratliff cited school district efforts geared toward improvingscores. Those include ACT preparation courses at three schools andtutoring for students interested in taking the ACT at thefourth.

Like the city, county students scored best in English andReading, with 19s in each category. And county students were alsolowest in the area of Math, with a 17.8 score.

Brookhaven Academy Headmaster Dr. Miller Hammill did not releasethe 2008 results of his students’ composite score on the ACTcollege entrance examination, saying the test is not as accurate anindicator of academic success as some perceive it to be.

Hammill said he and his staff have yet to meet to officiallyreview the scores for the academy. He believes universityadmissions departments should look more closely at a student’scourse work and GPA (grade point average) than ACT scores.

“I think they do it because it’s a quick assessment,” Hammillsaid. “The ACT is just one indicator of academic achievement.”