KINGSPORT – Dobyns-Bennett High School students again outperformed state and national averages in all categories of the 2011 ACT exam, with a record number of D-B students taking the exam. A total of 404 students completed the test, an increase of 4.4% over the prior year.
Additionally, Dobyns-Bennett students continued a 5-year trend of increasing the positive gap between system results and state averages in all subject areas.
Dobyns-Bennett High School students also outperformed state and national averages in all categories for College Readiness.
Kingsport City Schools has outlined improving college readiness measures as one of the systems top goals for the Race to the Top initiative. To reach this goal, the school system has hired a system-wide science coordinator, a secondary curriculum coordinator, and a Project Lead the Way teacher at the middle school level. These positions will actively seek ways to increase student achievement and prepare students for college and careers by improving instruction in core content areas.
The current results make a clear argument for the need to continue on our mission of college and career readiness for all students, said Dr. Chris Hampton, principal at Dobyns-Bennett High School. We acknowledge the hard work that has gone into preparing all of our students for life beyond high school. The percentage of Dobyns-Bennett students who were college and career ready in all four areas more than doubled that of Tennessee. This speaks highly to the focus of our staff and students. While these results are a direct reflection on Dobyns-Bennett, they too, are a reflection of the hard work and effort of Kingsport City Schools and our community as a whole. Our work in this area is not complete and we will continue our journey toward preparing all of our students for postsecondary readiness.
Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, all 11th grade students in the state of Tennessee were required to complete the ACT. Comparison of state and national averages should take into account that Tennessee is one of only seven states that require all 11th grade students to take the ACT, regardless of the students intent to pursue higher education.
For more information, contact Kingsport City Schools Administrative Coordinator Andy True at (423) 378-2130.‚
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