Hamilton High School students reached a significant milestone. ACT and Advanced Placement (AP) results released this summer show that Hamilton students performed at the highest level in the school’s history.
With a composite score of 23.4, Hamilton students scored well above the statewide composite average of 22.2 on the ACT, a test that indicates the extent of preparation for college-level work. The national ACT composite score was 21.1.
It is the second consecutive year that Hamilton students have posted the school’s highest ACT score; last year Hamilton’s score was 23.1.
Another indicator of the school’s performance came with the results of AP tests. Some 80 percent of Hamilton students received a score of 3 or higher on AP exams, which earn them credits that are recognized by many colleges and universities. A total of 77 students took a combined 105 exams in biology, calculus, English, studio art drawing and U.S. history.
Hamilton’s AP exam pass rate has experienced an upward trend in the past decade. In 1995-96, only 26.7 percent of Hamilton students who took AP exams scored 3 or higher.
Hamilton Principal Candis Mongan credited a long-range commitment to increasing rigor and expectations for the impressive accomplishment.
“While we celebrate our success, we realize that the groundwork for this significant accomplishment was laid years ago,” Mongan said.
Mongan pointed to the school’s site plan that focuses initiatives on higher-level thinking skills such as reading and writing in the content areas.
“Hamilton High School has seen incremental improvement in learning and achievement over the past decade,” Mongan said “We will continue to seek ways to better serve students and keep our focus on higher-level skills.”