(posted on August 14, 2008)

Horry County Schools’ 2008 performance on the American College Testing (ACT) increased six-tenths of a point and exceeded the state average on each of four content area tests as well as the composite score. HCS is within one point of the national average.

Performance improved during the year while the number of test takers remained steady. Among seniors, 637, or 30 percent, took the test. The newly released ACT scores are from students who graduated in 2008, regardless of the year when their most recent scores were recorded. 

The average score for HCS students was 20.1, an increase of six-tenths of a point over 19.5 in 2007. The 2008 state composite score of 19.9 is three-tenths higher than 19.6 in 2007. The national composite score of 21.1 is down one-tenth from 21.2 in 2007.   
 
The ACT is a test of curriculum-based and classroom-based achievement. Four tests are included in the ACT: English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning.  Scores are reported in each of those tests as well as the overall composite. The ACT measures achievement on a 36-point scale. ACT considers a change of three-tenths of a point to be statistically significant; one-tenth of an ACT point is comparable to four points on the SAT.

Listed below are the ACT composite scores of the district’s high schools:

• Aynor High School, 21 in 2008, up 1.1 points from 19.9 in 2007;
• Carolina Forest High School, 21.8 in 2008, an increase of three-tenths from 21.5 in 2007;
• Conway High School, 17.6 in 2008, with no change in performance over the previous year;
• Green Sea Floyds High School, 17.6 in 2008, a decrease of seven-tenths from 18.3 in 2007;
• Loris High School, 18.6 in 2008, an increase of eight-tenths from 17.8 in 2007;
• Myrtle Beach High School, 20.4 in 2008, an increase of three-tenths from 20.1 in 2007;
• North Myrtle Beach High School, 19.1 in 2008, a decrease of three-tenths from 19.4 in 2007;
• St. James High School, 20.9 in 2008, an increase of one point and two-tenths from 19.7 in 2007; and
• Socastee High School, 22 in 2008, an increase of 1.6 points from 20.4 in 2007.