BROOKINGS When it comes to ACT scores, the Brookings School system ranks among the the best in the state.
The South Dakota Department of Education recently released its annual report on the ACT scores across the state and the average composite score Brookings students was 23.2, which is two points higher than the state average of 21.1 and nearly four points above the national average of 19.4.
Brookings Superintendent Summer Schultz said, That is to such a credit of the course work we have. If you look at our high school staff the number of years in the district on the number of year they have in the profession. And then you look at the talents of our students even when you look at the amount of participation in our fine arts. Theres relationships to so many things that we have going for us in Brookings that help bring about that high score.
The ACT test is a national test that is optional for students and is used as by the nations colleges and universities as a tool to gauge students qualification for admission. Beginning in spring 2026 the ACT will be mandatory for all South Dakota high school juniors.
The Brookings School District has built a tradition of doing well on the ACT with composite averages consistently above the 23 mark in recent years.
Thats the great part and I think thats so important. This is a highly trusted assessment and so the fact that Brookings continues to be a leader in the state it does say something. It says something about the overall structure of the school district that were just so proud of, Schultz said.
Schultz said the results are a tribute to to the well-rounded students in the district who are dedicated to academics.
If you look at the students taking the ACT, often they are also participating in other things. They are taking advanced coursework or they have found a niche in their academic path somewhere and it doesnt just start when theye juniors gonna be seniors taking the ACT. I really believe its that collective focus that we have on academia.”
Schultz said the students good performance reflects well on the Brookings community, too.
With the university, with our community partners that support our kids, we have to keep that focus on education and our community does a good job on that also.”
The state report did not include districts that had less than 10 test takers, so the smaller school districts were not included.
Just two other districts scored higher than Brookings: Brandon Valley had a composite average of 23.5 and the Highmore-Harold District averaged 24.8.
Other districts in the Brookings Register’s coverage area on the report:
- The Colman-Egan District had an 18.4 composite average
- The Elkton-Lake Benton District composite score was 19.1
- For Estelline students the composite average was 20.1
- Flandreau ACT test takers had a 21.3 average
- The composite average for Sioux Valley test takers was 21.8
Contact Doug Kott at [email protected].
Leave a Reply