KUAR | By Ronak Patel
Arkansas lawmakers are raising concerns about student achievement and test performance. During the joint House and Senate education committee meeting Tuesday, legislators were presented ACT scores with some lawmakers arguing the test scores should be higher.
According to the Arkansas Department of Education, the average composite score on the ACT is 19, while the national average is 20. State Sen. Missy Irvin, a Republican from Mountain View and chairwoman of the committee, said there is some optimism in the state’s average since it is near the national level.
Secretary of Education Johnny Key said there were multiple factors in the average score being behind the national average.
Arkansas Legislature Website/
Secretary of Education Johnny Key shared concerns on Tuesday about a teacher shortage with lawmakers. He said the shortage could limit the amount of advanced placement courses offered.