Iowa high schoolers rank third in the nation on the ACT, a college entrance exam. The Iowa students who took the test scored an average of 22, which was identical to last year’s average. Iowa Department of Education director Ted Stilwell says officials are pleased Iowa students are doing well, but concerned more failed to take tougher courses, which would have improved their scores. Iowa used to rank at the top of the states on the ACT, and Stilwell says while top rankings are still important, the best measure of high school success is how a student fares in college. 66% of Iowa high school grads took the test — double the national average. The ACT is the predominant college entrance exam in 25 states. Wisconsin students scored an average of 22.2, tops in the nation, followed by Minnesota, which had a 22.1 average score.
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