Inside HigherEd, Scott Jaschik October 17, 2022

• According to data released by ACT, the national average composite score on the ACT for the high school Class of 2022 was 19.8 - the lowest average score in more than three decades.

• This is the fifth consecutive year of declines in average scores, a worrisome trend that began long before pandemic-related disruptions and has persisted.

• The SAT also saw scores fall this year, with an 2022 average score of 1050 (compared to 1060 for Class of 2021).

• While more people took either exam this year, their numbers were still fewer than in 2020 (the last year before students would have taken tests before pandemic struck). Many test takers were also people who were not paying for exams.

• Testing experts have cautioned against making too many comparisons during pandemic, noting it’s difficult to accurately determine who is not taking exams (with so many students opting not to test). However: figures show vast differences in scores of students by race and ethnicity.