Hamilton County Schools students’ ACT scores improved slightly compared to the previous year, according to newly released data by the Tennessee Department of Education.
The district’s class of 2025 had an average composite ACT score of 18.9, up slightly from 18.7 the year before.
County students scored below state and national averages on the exam. The state average remained at 19.3 for the second year in a row, and the national average was 19.4, according to the ACT organization.
The test is scored on a scale of 1-36, with 1 being the lowest possible score. A composite score is calculated by taking the average of the scores for each section — English, math, reading and science — and rounding up.
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Tennessee uses a score of 21 as an indicator of college readiness.
In Hamilton County, 36.8% of the class of 2025 earned a composite score of 21 or higher, while more than half, 53.9%, scored below a 19.
Students at nine district high schools scored an average of 21 or higher on the ACT, and roughly half of county schools exceeded the state’s average composite score. Two schools — Lookout Valley Middle/High and Signal Mountain Middle/High — increased their average score by more than one point compared to the previous year.
“The ACT performance of our students reflects their hard work and resilience, and the commitment of our educators to support every learner,” Superintendent Justin Robertson said in a statement. “I’m proud to see an upward trend from last year and am particularly encouraged by the progress among our students with disabilities.”
Average ACT composite score by school
— Hamilton County Collegiate High: 26.3
— Signal Mountain Middle/High School: 24.9
— Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts: 24.6
— Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts: 24.2
— Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences: 23.7
— STEM School Chattanooga: 23.7
— Soddy Daisy High School: 21.4
— East Hamilton High School: 21.3
— Sale Creek Middle/High School: 21.1
— Ivy Academy: 20
— Hixson High School: 19.5
— Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy: 19.5
— Lookout Valley Middle/High School: 19.2
— Ooltewah High School: 18.7
— Chattanooga Preparatory School: 18.3
— Hamilton County Virtual School: 18
— Red Bank High School: 17.4
— Sequoyah High School: 16.8
— Central High School: 16.7
— Tyner Academy: 15.9
— East Ridge High School: 15
— Brainerd High School: 13.9
— The Howard School: 13.8
Source: Tennessee Department of Education
He noted that the number of students with disabilities scoring a 21 or higher increased by 8 percentage points compared to the year before. Those students’ average composite score, 16.2, also increased by more than a point and exceeded the statewide average for students with disabilities.
In Hamilton County, English learners and economically disadvantaged students had the lowest composite score averages at 13.6 and 16.1, respectively. Both were up slightly from the year before.
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Closing gaps between demographic groups is a key part of the district’s strategic plan and requires a multipronged approach, Chief Academic Officer Blake Freeman said. This year, he said, that includes focusing on ensuring all students, regardless of demographics, have access to core, grade-level curriculum.
“We’re committed to making sure that every student shows growth in their ability to read, write and think,” he said by phone. “We’re committed to high-quality instructional materials, rigorously aligned instructional strategies and then providing those gap closure strategies for all of our students.
“We think that what we’re seeing in ACT is continuing to see progress and improvement,” he added, “as well as in the other ways that we’re measuring success with our students.”
Throughout the rest of Southeast Tennessee, three school districts had students score higher than the state average — Meigs County Schools, Sequatchie County Schools and Tullahoma City Schools. Tullahoma City Schools had the highest ACT composite in the region at 19.9, while Bledsoe County Schools saw the greatest change. Its average composite score of 19.1 marked a two-point improvement compared to the year before.
Contact education reporter Shannon Coan at scoan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6396.
