ASHEBORO – Randolph County saw a bit of a dip in some of its college-ready standardized testing.
The Randolph County Schools Board of Education was presented with the prior year standardized testing data at its Jan. 13 meeting.
The county has historically trailed the state in terms of average scores. However, the schools are seeing a gradual decline in overall scoring average within the county as well.
“In 2024, the average ACT score for Randolph County was 16.6, which was just a slight decline from the prior year average of 16.7,” said Meredith Weipert, Director of Testing and Accountability. “In 2024, the average total SAT score for RCSS was 1,079, a decrease from the 2023 average score of 1,111.”
The average score for a North Carolina student was 18.1 for the ACT and 1,161 for the SAT.
RCSS has seen a gradual decline in ACT scores since 2019-20 from 17.4 to 16.6. While SAT scores had shown growth, the overall number of students taking the exam has dropped significantly.
According to Weipert, 1,079 11th graders (or 98%) took the ACT while just 55 students took the SAT, which was 19 more than previous year, but more than 200 less than took it in 2020.
“The ACT is required so we have a lot of students who elect just to take the ACT and not the SAT and many higher institutions are test optional so students may not necessarily have to present an ACT or SAT score,” Weipert said
The board also approved the acceptance of a Center for Safer Schools Safety grant.
The grant, which totals $176,000, will be used toward assigning four additional school resource officers to district elementary schools, one per quadrant.
In addition, due to weather cancellations this school year, the board approved turning Jan. 22 from a teacher workday to a regular school day. As a part of that change, Feb, 6 will also no longer be an early release day and instead will be a full school day.
The Randolph County Schools Board of Education will next meet Feb. 10.
