Story by Tori Bedsole

ACT scores for Escambia County’s students were on both ends of the academic spectrum.

The report, released last week by the Alabama State Department of Education, shows how Alabama students stacked up against the rest of the nation for the 2015-16 school year.

Alabama’s average composite score for public school graduates was 19.1 – down from the national average of 20.8 for the same period.

The ACT serves as a benchmark in determining student’s readiness for college. This year, the state paid for 11th grade public school students to take the ACT.

Locally, Flomaton and T.R. Miller high schools scored above the state average, while Escambia County and W.S. Neal High Schools were below.

The ACT consists of four sections – English, mathematics, reading and science. The highest possible score is a 36.

Flomaton was ranked 26th in the state with an average ACT score of 21, followed by TRM at 19; WSN at 17 and ECHS at 15.

Alabama averaged 50 percent in English, 32 percent in reading and 22 percent in math and science.

For English, Escambia County schools averaged:

• FHS: 74 percent;

• TRM: 65 percent;

• WSN: 45 percent; and,

• ECHS: 24 percent.

For reading:

• FHS: 49 percent;

• TRM: 44 percent;

• WSN: 27 percent; and,

• ECHS: 6 percent.

For math:

• FHS: 40 percent;

• TRM: 24 percent;

• WSN: 13 percent; and,

• ECHS: 3 percent.

For science:

• FHS: 41 percent;

• TRM: 32 percent;

• WSN: 14 percent; and,

• ECHS: 4 percent.