This report is designed to help inform the following questions regarding American Indian students:
- Are American Indian students prepared for college and career?
- Are enough American Indian students taking core courses?
- Are core courses rigorous enough?
- Are younger American Indian students on target for college and career?
- What other dimensions of college and career readiness should we track?
- Are American Indian students who are ready for college and career actually succeeding?
American Indian students are less likely than their peers to meet key college readiness benchmarks, even when taking academically rigorous courses in high school, according to a new report released today by ACT and the National Indian Education Association.
The report, The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2014: American Indian Students, examines the academic preparation and postsecondary aspirations of American Indian 2014 high school graduates who took the ACT® test. It is the third in a series of seven reports that focus on demographic groups of ACT test takers from the 2014 high school graduating class.
Among the findings:
- 55 percent of American Indian students failed to meet any of the four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, and only one in 10 met all four. Among all students, 31 percent didn’t meet any Benchmarks, and 26 percent met all four.
- Across all four subjects, the percentage of American Indian students meeting each Benchmark was lower than the proportion who took “core or more” (recommended core curriculum) courses.
- In English, less than half—43 percent—of American Indian students who took related “core or more” courses met the Benchmark, compared to 67 percent of all students.
- In reading, 28 percent who took “core or more” met the Benchmark, compared to 47 percent of all students.
- In math, 23 percent who took “core or more” met the Benchmark, compared to 46 percent of all students.
- In science, 22 percent who took “core or more” met the Benchmark, compared to 41 percent of all students.
To read the report, click here. For more information from the ACT website, click here.