The state's composite ACT score rose to 20.6 in 2008, up from 20.3 in 2007. Nationally, the number fell to 21.1, down from 21.2 last year. Georgia's scores increased in every subject area tested by the ACT and the state moved up three spots to 41st, up from 44 in 2007 and 47 in 2002.
White, black and Hispanic seniors in Georgia also outscored their peers nationally. The ACT is a curriculum-based test designed to measure college preparedness and is scored on a scale from 0 to 36.
According to the report, which was issued Wednesday, Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties each had at least five schools with scores above 22, leading the state in schools with the highest scores.
Three northeast Georgia schools made the list of those with the 25 most improved scores: Jackson County Comprehensive High and Towns and Union County high schools.
Also, Wednesday, the state Department of Education reported that thousands more Georgia eighth-graders passed a state-mandated math exam on the second try. (See separate story.)
(AccessNorthGa.com's Ken Stanford contributed to this story.)
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On the Net: Ga. Dept. of Education. http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/
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http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/8/212356