The average ACT composite score for students who graduated from Denver Public Schools in 2002 is 17.5, down from 18.9 a year ago. This is the first time the ACT scores reflect the results of 11th grade testing as mandated by Colorado law. The number of students taking the test almost doubled.

The drop in scores can be expected due to the large increase in the number of students taking the test, many of whom are not college-bound. Last year, 1,471 graduates were included in the ACT scores compared to 2,714 students this year.

The scores include students who took the test as 11th graders in 2001 as well as students who may have retaken the test as seniors in 2002 for college entrance purposes.

"We must remember that these scores reflect both college and non-college-bound students who took the test for the first time last year," said Wayne Eckerling, assistant superintendent for Research, Planning and Special Programs.

"This data will be used as a baseline as we carefully look at results to make sure our students are well prepared for both college and careers," he added.

Assistant Superintendent Eckerling stressed that caution should be used in interpreting any ethnicity results on the 2002 ACT report. About one-third of the students tested in DPS did not identify their ethnic background.

"We are disappointed we will be unable to analyze the ethnicity data because it is so incomplete," Eckerling said.

A complete set of ACT data is posted on the district's website under the "Updates" section on the front page