Metro Schools ACT Scores Drop, Only 11 Percent of Students Are 'College Ready'

NASHVILLE, TN — The average ACT composite score for 2016 Metro Nashville Public School graduates was 18.4, a 0.3 point drop from 2015's record score and the first dip after years of gains for the district.

Only 11 percent of graduates met the "college ready" standard by the ACT; last year, that number was 14 percent.

The district's chief academic officer, Monique Felder, who was brought in by new Director of Schools Shawn Joseph at the beginning of July, told The Tennessean that despite the results coming from tests taken before Joseph and his team took over, they are "concerning" nonetheless.

MNPS had the lowest composite average of any Midstate county and among the state's four largest school districts, Metro was ahead of only Shelby County, with Knox County leading the way among the Big Four and Hamilton County coming second.

Here's a rundown of how Midstate districts fared:

• MNPS — 18.4 average composite
• Rutherford County — 20.2
• Williamson County — 23.8
• Cheatham County — 19.6
• Dickson County — 19.4
• Robertson County — 19
• Sumner County — 20.8
• Wilson County — 20.3