By Julianna Parker
The Norman Transcript

Norman and Norman North High Schools both made the top 15 schools in the state based on ACT scores, the state Department of Education announced late Tuesday.

Norman North was ranked sixth in the state with an average score on the ACT college-entrance exam of 23.5. Norman High was ranked 11th with an average ACT score of 23.2. The ACT is graded on a scale of 0-36.

The national average score is 21.1, while the state average is 20.7, according to the Oklahoma Department of Education release.

Norman High School Principal Lynne Chesley said the high scores at NHS are in line with the school's goals.

"First of all, our teachers are so focused on the learning in the classroom," she said. "They focus on rigorous work that prepares them for college. And that's one of our goals -- it's the main goal, to get them ready for the next step."

According to figures released by the state Department of Education, Oklahoma's average science score increased to 20.5 from 20.4 and it improved to 19.9 from 19.8 in math. Nationally, science improved by the same margin but national math performance was flat in 2009.

Oklahoma's reading and English scores remained the same from the previous year -- as they did nationally. Oklahoma's reading score (21.4) equals the national average and its English score (20.5) is just one-tenth of a point from the national average (20.6).

State Superintendent Sandy Garrett said Oklahoma's ACT results are in line with the state's high school End-of-Instruction scores and both highlight important facts about college readiness.

"College remediation rates are based on ACT scores and ACT scores mirror our EOI scores," Garrett said. "What these scores tell us is that rigor is lacking in some schools and too many students are not making the most of the four years they are given in high school. In 2009, completion of four years of rigorous core courses is a prerequisite to college and work readiness."

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