A cursory glance at composite ACT test scores from last year might suggest Calvary Lutheran (23.9) and Helias (23.9) high schools have the smartest kids, followed by Blair Oaks (22.2) and Jefferson City High School (19.4).
Likewise, it might appear Missouri students aren't as smart as they were just a few years ago. Statewide scores (20.4) have dropped compared to the five-year high of 21.8 in 2013-14, although they are nearly identical with last year's national scores.
Statistics, it is said, can be manipulated to prove virtually anything. In this case, they're not manipulated; they just don't tell the whole story.
There are other factors, beyond the base numbers, that give us a deeper understanding. Here are two:
Nearly 20,000 more Missouri students took the college preparatory test last year than in 2014. It stands to reason those additional students who were convinced to take the test won't perform as well as the others, who wanted to take it.
So the good news in this is more students are taking the test, which hopefully translates to more students seeking a college education.
Parochial students performed better than public students, so that tuition is paying off academically, right? But it's a chicken versus the egg question. Are they being better educated, or are they from families with a financial - and therefore educational - advantage?
Many educators say the effects of poverty - hunger, chronic illness, an unstable family life to name a few - leave kids at an academic disadvantage.
We're not here to debate the merits of public vs. private/parochial schools, but that's one factor at play.
That said, we should all put ACT scores in perspective. Standardized testing in general has its detractors, and, at the very least, it isn't the be-all-end-all measure of a student's readiness for college.
More colleges these days are looking beyond grades and ACT scores. They want well-rounded students who participate in sports, clubs, volunteer work and entrepreneurship. It's these types of experiences that show leadership, initiative, responsibility - character traits that can be more important than intelligence.
So while we encourage all high school students to take the ACT, don't sweat it.
It's not a litmus test to their future success.