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OPINIONS
Editorial: W.Va. students must catch up with nation in science, math
Chemistry teacher Loretta Hayes works with students during a stochiometry lab and chemistry class at Cabell Midland high school on Jan. 17. West Virginia students taking the ACT college entrance test traditionally score lower than the national average in science and mathematics. Schools must step up their efforts in these subjects, and students must recognize the importance of learning them.
Purchase this photoWest Virginia’s college-bound high school seniors have caught up with the rest of the nation in reading and English, but they still lag in math and science.
ACT testing data released Wednesday showed the composite score up slightly in 2008 to 20.7, which was one-tenth of a point better than the year before. The highest possible score is 36. The national average composite score dropped from 21.2 to 21.1.
About 64 percent of West Virginia’s graduating seniors took the ACT this past year. Average scores by subject:
- English, 20.8. National average, 20.6.
- Math, 19.6. National average, 21.0.
- Reading, 21.4. National average, 21.4.
- Science, 20.5. National average, 20.8.
“Math has been troubling to us for some time,” said Steve Paine, West Virginia state superintendent of schools. “The ingredient we think we have to focus on is teaching mathematics.”
The ACT is a national college admission and placement examination. Some colleges and universities require the ACT, while some require the SAT. West Virginia tied for 15th among the 26 states in which half or more graduating high school seniors took the ACT. West Virginia also uses ACT scores as a requirement for receiving a PROMISE scholarship.
For comparison, Kentucky students were below the national average in all subject areas, while Ohio’s average scores in all four subjects exceeded the national average. Some of this could be a result of affluent households, or it could be differences in which students take the ACT versus the SAT in some states.
While we can take some consolation in the fact West Virginia college-bound students’ reading and English scores match or exceed the national average, there are still those science and math scores to look at. Along with knowledge, the ACT measures critical reasoning and higher-order thinking. The test is one of many tools we have of measuring how well our high school students are learning skills they will need as they pursue higher education.
It’s discouraging that we must note West Virginia has reached the national average in two subjects but is behind in two others. It’s something schools must work on, of course. We have to ask if our students are getting the best math and science education our money can buy. It’s a question of having certified and qualified teachers teaching those subjects, but it’s also about making sure our science classrooms have the equipment and supplies they need to give children hands-on learning in science and math.
Of course, this is about more than schools and teachers. It’s something parents and students themselves must work on, too. Children especially must be shown the importance of developing their skills in science and math. Those are two critical subjects for education in general and in being able to take leadership roles in a world where knowledge in science and math are increasingly important.
We have a long way to go. We’ll have to reach average before we can attain excellence.
So let’s take one day to note our progress in reading and English, and many, many more to learn what we must do to improve our children’s understanding and skills in science and math.
