"The state average is 22.1 and the national average is 21," John Janotta, high school principal, said. "Our score was higher than both for the second year in a row with 50 percent of our students taking the tests."
"I think it is a good positive report. I am happy to report that in the last five years, we have been consistently higher than the state average. In the last five years, our lowest scores were in 1996 at 21.9, the only year we dipped below the 22 mark," Janotta said.
The top state in the nation was Rhode Island with three percent of their graduates taking the test. Their average score was 22.7
Students are tested in English, mathematics, reading, and science. Paynesville's composite score (all areas tested) was 22.8. This compares to 22.1 for the state average and 21.0 for the national average.
According to an Aug. 18 article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota students continue to score above the national average and among states where more than half the students took the test.
"Paynesville students as a group, scored higher than any state in the nation taking the test," Janotta added.