For the 2003-2004 school year, said THS Principal Tatia Shelton, the school’s average composite score was 21.4. This was just slightly beneath the state average of 21.6.

The national average of composite ACT scores for the 2003-2004 school year was 20.9.

The school’s scores for the 2002-2003 school year reached an average composite of 21.9, which surpassed the state average of 21.5.

Shelton noted that during the 2003-2004 school year, 81 THS students took the ACT. During the previous year, only 69 students took the test.

Tonganoxie school Superintendent Richard Erickson said that while THS is only slightly below the state average and still well above the national average, that he’s still concerned about the scores.

“I was disappointed to see that the score was not significantly above the state average,” Erickson said Monday.

He noted that scores will vary depending on which students take the test each year.

“But I believe our kids are capable of scoring significantly above the state and national average, as well,” Erickson said.

At Basehor-Linwood High School, ACT scores rose from 21.1 in 2002-2003 to 21.6 in 2003-2004, said Principal Steve Blankenship.

This places them at the state average.

“We are a half a point ahead of where we were last year, and six tenths of a point ahead of the national average,” Blankenship said, noting that 80 students took the ACT during the 2003-2004 school year.

As at Tonganoxie, the school tries to help students prepare for the test.

“The teachers actually teach them the knowledge that they need to know, but the counselors actually prep them for what they’re going to see when they take the test,” Blankenship said.

He was pleased with the progress.

“The counselors did a wonderful job of getting the kids ready,” Blankenship added.

At McLouth High School, the students’ average composite increased to 21.6, meeting the state average score.

This was up from the school’s average composite score of 21.0 for the 2002-2003 school year, said Cliff Weeks, guidance counselor.

He noted that an individual score of 36 would be a perfect score.

“Twenty-one is the magic score to getting into the board of regents schools,” Weeks said. “Twenty-one is the score everybody shoots for. And if a student has a score of 28 and above, then they’re looking at scholarships.”