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BHS test scores again top state, national averages

By GAIL SCHONTZLER Chronicle Staff Writer

Bozeman High School students once again scored higher in 2008 than both the Montana and national student averages on the SAT and ACT college exams.


 On the SAT test, Bozeman High students’ mean scores were about 30 percentage points higher than the Montana mean scores and roughly 60 points higher than the national scores, according to information released by high school guidance counselor Larry Bittner and the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

For the 2008 SAT test, mean scores were:

* In reading, 571 for Bozeman High students, vs. 541 for Montana students and 502 for U.S. students.

* In math, 574 for Bozeman High, vs. 548 for Montana students and 515 for U.S. students.

* In writing, 556 for Bozeman High students, vs. 523 for Montana students and 494 for U.S. students.

Bozeman students’ composite ACT score was the highest in four years. Superintendent Kirk Miller said 265 students took the 2008 ACT test, an increase of 78 students from 2004.

For the 2008 ACT tests, average scores were:

* In English, 24.1 for Bozeman, vs. 21.3 for Montana and 20.6 for U.S. students.

* In math, 23.8 for Bozeman, vs. 21.8 for Montana and 21 for U.S. students.

* In reading, 25.2 for Bozeman, vs. 22.7 for Montana and 21.4 for U.S. students.

* In science, 23.4 for Bozeman, vs. 21.8 for Montana and 20.8 for U.S. students

* Composite scores were 24.2 for Bozeman, vs. 22 for Montana, and 21.1 for the national average.

To be ready for college, ACT reports that students should score at least 18 in English, 22 in Math, 21 in reading and 24 in science.

“As the scores show, our students taking the ACT are increasing and high performing,” Miller said. “This is another one of the multiple measures that should be considered when looking at the performance of our students and the school system.”

One of the criticisms from Miller and other educators of the No Child Left Behind Act is that it judges school performance based on a single test, rather than considering multiple measures for student progress.

Bozeman High students consistently score higher than the state and national averages on college prep tests, in part because Bozeman is a college town that supports education, has a high percentage of college-educated families and has lower percentages of poverty, minority and non-English speaking students.

Gail Schontzler is at gails@dailychronicle.com or 582-2633.

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