Capital Region schools post some of state’s largest gains in college eligibility

Public school districts in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Livingston parishes are among the top 10 in the state when it comes to the greatest increases in the number of students who are college eligible during the past school year. According to figures from the Department of Education released today, the three parishes collectively saw 545 additional students achieve scores on the ACT exam—as well as other tests and coursework—that indicate they’re ready for college under the state’s new accountability system. That placed all of them on the top 10 list, with East Baton Rouge at No. 3 (an increase of 224 students), Ascension at No. 5 (184) and Livingston at No. 10 (137). Approximately 3,600 more students across the state scored an 18 or better on the ACT exam during the most recent school year than did the year previous. That means “thousands more students” will have the opportunity to attend college without having to take remedial courses, according to the department. This past year was the first in which the state required every graduate to take the ACT exam, and it was also the first year that the ACT scores factored into the state’s accountability system that tracks college preparedness. Nearly 22,000 of the 37,000 students who tested across the state scored an 18 or better. The state ACT average for all students will be available in late August when private schools’ scores are available. Complete details on today’s report can be found here.