More high school graduates are opting out of 4-year degrees
According to the National Student Clearinghouse, college enrollment has decreased by 8% since 2019. However, it’s not due to a lack of a learning desire among students, it’s instead a way to avoid the sometimes massive amounts of college debt that could be waiting for them down the road.
Scripps News
- Tennessee released 2025 ACT data for its public high schools and districts on Dec. 10.
- While statewide numbers held steady from last year, student groups like English learners made gains.
Average ACT scores and participation rates for the class of 2025 held steady statewide compared to the year before.
Tennessee marked its fourth straight year with a 99% statewide participation rate, while the average composite score remained at 19.3, according to data released on Dec. 10 by the Tennessee Department of Education. Scores from 1-36 are possible on the ACT, a widely accepted standardized college entrance exam. Most colleges require a minimum score between 18 and 20, according to the ACT website.
English learners made significant strides statewide, according to the department. A total of 6.3% of English learners scored 21 or higher in 2025, up from 2.3% in 2024.
In particular, the department highlighted Williamson County Schools for its English learners who scored 21 or higher. Last year, 20% of English learners scored 21 or higher in the district. This year, that number grew to 37.1%. Those same students also increased their average composite score from 16.3 to 19.8. Other Middle Tennessee districts also saw growth in those same areas, though not as markedly as Williamson County.
Want to see how your high school fared on this year’s ACT? Use the searchable table below to look up its average composite score.
How Middle Tennessee districts did on the 2025 ACT
Here’s a look at the average composite ACT scores for 10 Middle Tennessee public school districts in 2025.
- Cheatham County School District: 19.3
- Clarksville-Montgomery County School System: 19.3
- Dickson County School District: 19
- Maury County Public Schools: 18
- Metro Nashville Public Schools: 17.5
- Robertson County Schools: 18.3
- Rutherford County Schools: 19.8
- Sumner County Schools: 20.8
- Williamson County Schools: 25.3
- Wilson County Schools: 20.4
Learn more
Find more data on the 2025 ACT scores for districts and schools at tn.gov/education/districts/federal-programs-and-oversight/data/data-downloads. Scroll down to the “additional data” section and click on “ACT data” to access spreadsheets for the 2024-25 school year, along with previous years.
