SACRAMENTO — Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement regarding the 2008 ACT results for California students:

"I am pleased to see a significant increase in the number of California students who are taking the ACT college readiness exam. This indicates that more of our students are reaching for a higher bar and making plans to go to college. The 2008 ACT results show that California students outpace the nation on average ACT scores in all subject areas.

"I remain concerned, however, that a significant gap in college readiness that remains between students who are white or Asian and those who are African American or Latino. This is another symptom of the achievement gap that is leaving too many of our students of color behind their peers. We must increase the college readiness of all students, including our Latino and African American students. The higher level skills students learn in college are vitally important in the increasingly competitive global economy." 

For more information, please go to ACT National and State Scores for 2008 [http://www.act.org/news/data/08/index.html] (Outside Source).

You may also contact Ed Colby or Scott Gomer, ACT Media Relations at 319-337-1028.