Contributing to Community Success: Evanston Schools Celebrate High ACT Scores and Other Accolades

Contributing to Community Success: Evanston Schools Celebrate High ACT Scores and Other Accolades Main Photo

7 Dec 2022


News

A well-funded, high-performing educational system is vital to the robust long-term growth of a community. Evanston schools — as indicated by recently reported ACT scores from Uinta County School District #1 (UCSD #1) and the Wyoming Department of Education— provide quality education to keep the community and the economy going strong.

Wyoming is among only six states with ACT results for 100 percent of graduating seniors. Of these six, Wyoming ranks number one for average composite score. The percentage of Wyoming graduates who met ACT College Readiness benchmarks is above the national average in all four indicators: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. 

“The Wyoming average composite score for the class of 2022 was 19.2, which ranks number one in the nation for the six states that require 100 percent of their students to take the ACT,” said Doug Rigby, Assistant Superintendent, UCSD #1. “The Evanston High School average composite score for the class of 2022 was 20.5. The national average for the class of 2022 was 19.8.”

“That national average represents, for the most part, students across the country taking the exam because they intend to attend a four-year college or university,” continued Rigby. “This is not the case in Wyoming, where all students take the exam whether they need the scores for college admissions or not. Although we are very proud of the success attained, we continue to set goals to move well beyond our current averages.”

The quality of its educational system is one of the primary draws for attracting business to an area. It translates into a desirable quality of life and provides an advantageous workforce pool for area employers.

One of the bedrocks of attracting businesses to an area is a skilled workforce, but those only come through investments at each level of schooling, from early childhood through higher education.

“The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), sometimes referred to as ‘The Nation’s Report Card,’ results were recently released indicating Wyoming students outperformed all other states and jurisdictions except for the Department of Defense schools in 4th-grade math and reading,” said Rigby. “Further, Wyoming students again finished at the top in 8th-grade math, and only four states outperformed Wyoming students in 8th grade reading.”

“UCSD #1 students consistently perform above state averages on Wyoming’s Test of Proficiency and Progress (WY-TOPP) in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science,” said Rigby. “If Wyoming schools are some of the highest performing schools in the nation, then UCSD #1 Schools are in the top half of that elite group.”

“In 2019, Evanston High School received recognition from the College Board as one of only 250 schools to earn ‘AP District Honor Role’ for Gains in Student Access and Success,” said Rigby. To earn this award, a school has to increase the number of students participating in AP courses while increasing or maintaining the percentage of students earning AP scores of 3 or higher.

“Beyond excellent academic core assessment results, students in UCSD #1 also earned 89
Industry Recognized Credentials in 2021, ranging from ASE to OSHA,” said Rigby. “Of particular note were the 32 certifications earned in the field of computer science.”

High performance, of course, has personal rewards for the students. The Hathway Scholarship was established to help Wyoming students prepare for and pursue post-secondary education. There are four tiers of merit scholarships, plus a need-based scholarship that can supplement the merit-based awards.

The scholarship has its roots in Governor Stanley Hathaway’s 1974 decision to create the Wyoming Permanent Mineral Trust Fund. The fund’s income supports state government operations — including higher education in Wyoming. In 2005, state lawmakers created a scholarship fund with a $400 million permanent endowment whose income funds scholarships for qualified Wyoming high school graduates to attend the University of Wyoming or any of the state’s seven community colleges. 

“The Hathaway Scholarship provides outstanding opportunities for our students,” said Rigby. “While in high school, the Hathaway Scholarship curriculum requirements push students to take rigorous courses, maintain great grades, and perform well on the ACT. For the class of 2022, 58 percent of our seniors qualified for the Hathaway Scholarship.”

“We have great students, a dedicated teaching staff, and incredible community support for our schools,” said Rigby. “We are committed to providing ALL students with high levels of learning every day!”

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Evanston, Wyoming, Economic Development is experienced in forging new frontiers, and our sights are set on business growth and workforce development. We are on track for the future with a proactive and dynamic business climate, a dedicated and diverse workforce, and a heartfelt, small-town attitude! Consider this your invitation to visit our thriving community and find out how we can assist you in locating or expanding your business here. Our experienced staff is prepared to assist site selectors and business executives through the relocation process and to direct entrepreneurs to the resources they need. Contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.