Rockdale’s average ACT score went down slightly from last year and lags behind the state and national average as well.

The average score for the 544 students that took the 2010-2011ACT college entrance exam was 19.5, about 1 point down from last year. The state average was 20.6, which is 0.1 points down from the state average last year. The national average, 21.1, increased by 0.1 points from last year.

Rockdale County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Samuel King said at the Thursday Board of Education meeting that more students are taking the ACT and SAT tests but may not be receiving needed preparation, such as taking advanced level classes.

“While we experienced a significant increase in the number of students taking the ACT and SAT, I am not pleased with the overall outcome,” said King. “We will continue to review and revise our implementation from a research-based standpoint with the intent to reverse this trend.”

King pointed out the increasing number of test takers “indicates more students are aspiring and preparing for a higher education in their future.”

Board Member Jim McBrayer explained the results this way: “The larger the pool, the lower the score.”

Of the RCPS test takers, 59 percent were black, 27 percent white, 5 percent Hispanic, 3 percent multiracial, and 2 percent Asian. The average score for black test takers, 18.1, was above the state, 17.5, and national average, 17. The average score for white test takers, 22.6, was below the state, 22.8, but above the national average, 22.4. This year, 544 students took the test, compared to 532 students last year.

King said the SAT and ACT test performance was one of the issues discussed by board members at a workshop on Tuesday at the Rockdale Career Academy. Many of the increased test takers may be aspiring to college but may not be taking advanced level classes for fear of damaging their GPA, not knowing AP classes are weighted, said King. “It’s an advisement piece and it’s an awareness piece,” King said.

The school system is in the process of analyzing at the background of students who took the tests, he said. Students sign up for the AP and SAT tests independent of the school system.

Georgia's performance on the ACT college-entrance exam was flat this year as the number of students taking the test in the state rose.

Data released Wednesday shows that 21 percent of graduating seniors in Georgia met college-ready standards for English, math, reading and science. That trails the national average of 25 percent.

About 43,000 students, or nearly half, of seniors took the test in Georgia, up from about 40,000 last year.

Traditionally, more Georgia students take the SAT each year, but the number of students taking the ACT is growing.

Georgia students scored an average of 20.6 on the test out of a possible 36 — basically flat from last year — compared to the national score of 21.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.