With the exception of Gray Stone Day School and Stanly Early College High School, schools in the county performed below the state average on 2018-2019 ACT scores.

The ACT is a required standardized test given to 11th grade students. It covers English, math, reading and science, with an optional writing section. The test is used for college admissions. Another well-known standardized test, the SAT, is optional.

The four main sections are individually scored on a scale from 1 to 36 and an average score (composite) is provided.

The ACT composite mean for Stanly County was 17.1, more than a point below the state average of 18.4 and below most neighboring counties. Stanly did achieve a higher composite score than Rowan (17.0), Montgomery (16.7) and Anson (15.1).

Stanly Early College received SCS’s highest score of 21.2, while Gray Stone received the county’s highest score of 23.6.

“The ACT test assesses a student’s knowledge and Gray Stone did very well,” Helen Nance, chief administrative officer at the school, said.  “I am so pleased with the work our teachers and students put into teaching and learning.”

Nance said the school was tied for 24th in the state in composite ACT scores.

The other schools failed to meet the state’s composite average. North Stanly scored a 17.6, West Stanly a 17.2, South Stanly a 16.8 and Albemarle a 14.7.

Compared to composite data from the previous year, only Gray Stone and North Stanly’s scores improved.

Each of the four sections have individual state benchmarks and only 8.7 percent of SCS students met all of those benchmarks.

Gray Stone met or surpassed all four benchmarks while Stanly Early College performed the best for SCS, meeting or surpassing three of the four benchmarks.