The ACT test scores for Riverside-Brookfield High seniors remained above state and national averages in 2005-06, but failed to improve over 2005 according to a recent testing report presented to the District 208 school board at the board’s Dec. 12 meeting.

Results from RB class of 2006 show an average ACT composite score of 22.3 among the 284 members of the Class of 2006 who took the ACT. This compares with a statewide average composite score of 20.5 and a nationwide average composite ACT score of 21.1 in 2006, according to the report. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36.

However RB’s average score dropped by one-tenth of a point from 2004-05 when the average ACT score among the senior class was 22.4.

“This year we’ve kind of leveled off,” said Superintendent/Principal Jack Baldermann. “I’m happy with our students’ performance, and I’m sure we’ll continue to improve in the future.”

According to the report, 90 percent of RB’s Class of 2006 took the ACT. The average score on the English portion of the test was 22.5. For reading the average score was 22.4, while the score for both math and scientific reasoning was 21.9.

The average composite score of the top 10 percent of the RB class of 2006 was 29.6, up slightly from the previous year’s 29.5. The average composite score of the top 20 percent of the class was 28.

Not surprisingly, students who took more core academic classes fared better on the ACT. The average composite ACT score for seniors who took at least four years of English, three years of math, three years of science and three years of social science was 23.1 compared to an average score of 19.6 among students who did not take as many core courses.

One disappointing result of the study was that only 26 percent of RB students were considered ready for college course work in all four major subject areas.

According to the ACT report, students who meet certain benchmark ACT scores have a 50 percent chance of obtaining a B in a college class and about a 75 percent chance of obtaining a C in the corresponding college class. These “College Readiness Benchmark Scores” are 18 in English, 22 for math, 21 for social science and 24 for science.

Only 26 percent of RB class of 2006 taking the ACT met all four benchmarks compared to 32 percent of the RB class of 2005. The statewide average for meeting all four benchmarks was 20 percent.

Some 81 percent of RB students met the benchmark in English, 54 percent in math, 58 percent in reading, but only 31 percent met the benchmark in science.

Baldermann said that he thought the benchmark ACT score of 24 in science was unreasonably high.

RB’s emphasis on Advanced Placement classes continued to pay dividends as 73 more RB students took the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams last year, an increase of 73 students. Last year at RB, 461 students took a total of 973 AP exams.

AP exams are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 3 considered a passing score. Nearly half, 48 percent, of RB students taking AP exams in 2006 received passing scores in 2006.

RB students did well in AP European history with 71 percent students taking the AP exam receiving a grade of 3 or better, but struggled in AP calculus with only five of 93 students taking calculus AP exams receiving a grade of three or better.

“We have to work our math scores,” said Baldermann.

RB’s pass rate of 48 percent for AP exams was its lowest in the last 10 years. But this is a result of many more RB students taking AP exams than in the past, Baldermann said. In 1996, only 17 RB students took 21 AP exams compared to last year’s 461 students taking 973 AP exams.

The percentage of the school’s total enrollment passing AP exams at RB has risen from 2 percent in 1996 to 33 percent last year. However this was a decrease from 36 percent in 2005.

The number of RB students who take AP exams has dramatically increased in recent years as the administration has greatly expanded the range of AP courses offered and pushed more and more students to take AP classes. As recently as 2004, 271 RB students took 594 AP exams. As more RB students have taken AP exams, the pass rate has gone down. In 2004, the pass rate was 66 percent among RB students taking AP exams.

Five students last year received the National AP Scholar Award by receiving an average grade of at least 4 on all AP exams taken and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more AP exams. RB’s National AP Scholars in 2006 were Lesley Chmell, Kaitlin Forsberg, Jessica Szadziewicz, Rachel Teune and Ethan Turbek.