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The ACT Data and Results

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About the Data

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The ACT with writing assesses students in grade 11 on their academic and college and career readiness in the areas of English, mathematics, reading, science, and writing. On a 1-36 scale, students receive five individual subject scores, an English Language Arts (ELA), STEM score and an ACT Composite score.
  • Composite score = is the whole number average of the English, mathematics and reading tests*
  • English Language Arts (ELA) score = calculation of English, reading and writing
  • STEM score = average of mathematics and science

The scores of each subject area are categorized as College Ready or Below College Ready based on benchmark values provided by the ACT. Benchmarks are provided for the Math, Science, STEM, English, Reading, and ELA scores. No ACT benchmarks are provided for the Composite and Writing scores.

*Note: In 2025, changes to the ACT and its blueprint were made (Enhanced ACT). At that time, ACT changed the calculation of the Composite score from average of English, math, reading and science (EMRS) to average of English, math and reading (EMR).
 

ACT Exam Data Availability

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Student Score Reports are available to students approximately 5-8 weeks after testing.  Score reports will be mailed directly to students and available electronically though the student’s MyACT account.

High school and district level report data  can be found on the Success ACT website. Resources for analyzing reports can be found on the Wisconsin ACT website.

State testing data will be released publicly in WISEdash in the Fall. For more information about WISEdash Public or WISEdash for Districts please refer to the ACT FAQ.

Data and Reporting Resources

Student Score Reports

Translated Student Score Reports - Change wording to: ACT provides Student Score Reports (SSR) in English and Spanish on the Success.ACT website. For Hmong, districts and schools may include a copy of the below Hmong translated SSR transcript with the English SSR so families have a better understanding of their student's results. If translated SSR transcripts are needed in languages other than Spanish and Hmong, Districts are responsible for providing those translations and may use the SSR transcript in English to create the translation.
Student Score Report (SSR) Transcript  

Hmong Translation

Wisconsin Student Assessment System Resources: ACT

Additional Resources

ACT College Reporting

Student College Reports

Sending scores to colleges
  • Scores are sent to 4 colleges based on the student’s completion of that section of their MyACT account within two days of testing.
  • If students want to send scores to more than four colleges, they can logon to MyACT.org and use their ACT ID (found on their paper score report) to create a web account (unless they have already created one from previous participation in a national ACT test date).
  • More information can be found on ACT Your Scores

Wisconsin ACT Scores and Score Ranges

The ACT has been used as the 11th grade summative assessment for Wisconsin students since 2015. In addition to receiving a college-reportable score (used for college admission, scholarships, course placement, NCAA eligibility), the statewide administration of the ACT also provides information about what students know and can do in relation to the Wisconsin State Standards. Each ACT score will fall in one of the four Performance Levels below which define the student’s understanding and ability to apply grade-level knowledge and skills.

Wisconsin Student Assessment Performance Levels

  • Advanced – The student demonstrates a thorough understanding of the knowledge and skills described in the Wisconsin Academic Standards for their grade level and is on-track for future learning.
  • Meeting – The student is meeting the knowledge and skill expectations described in the Wisconsin Academic Standards for their grade level and is on-track for future learning.
  • Approaching – The student is approaching the knowledge and skill expectations described in the Wisconsin Academic Standards for their grade level needed to be on-track for future learning.
  • Developing – The student is at the beginning stages of developing the knowledge and skills described in the Wisconsin Academic Standards for their grade level needed to be on-track for future learning

Wisconsin ACT Performance Level Cut Scores and Scale Score Ranges

The Wisconsin ACT Performance Level Cut Scores were established in 2024 through an ACT standard setting process. For more information on the ACT standard setting process, please see the 2024 Wisconsin ACT Standard Setting Handout.

Establishing Wisconsin specific cut scores is necessary to fulfill important accountability reporting requirements. These cut scores, scale scores, and performance levels are Wisconsin specific and do not apply to other states or national ACT testing.

Wisconsin ACT Performance Level Scale Score Ranges

Content Area
Developing
Approaching
Meeting
Advanced
ELA
1-13
14-18
19-25
26-36
Mathematics
1-15
16-18
19-26
27-36
Science
1-16
17-20
21-25
26-36

Wisconsin ACT Performance Level Cut Scores

Content Area
Approaching
Meeting
Advanced
ELA
14
19
26
Mathematics
16
19
27
Science
17
21
26

Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs)

ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the ACT scores that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75-80% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing courses. These Benchmarks are independent of Wisconsin’s ACT Performance Level Scale Scores that are used for state accountability.
 
Subject
ACT Benchmark
English
18
Mathematics
22
Reading
22
Science
23
STEM
26
ELA
20
 

Cautions

Note that no single test can tell us whether students have learned everything that is important for students to learn. Additional local evidence should be reviewed for a more complete picture of student learning.