Report Finds Tennessee Students Outperforming Southern States on the ACT

Stock photo of a student taking a multiple-choice test (Photo by Unsplash)

New analysis by the education organization Tennessee SCORE found that Tennessee students are scoring higher on the ACT than all other southern states with similar participation rates. The Tennessee Department of Education reported earlier this month that Tennessee students posted an average composite ACT score of 19.3.

SCORE’s research of ACT data found that the Volunteer State’s performance in 2025 was higher than that of every other southern state with an estimated participation rate of at least 91 percent on the test, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

Florida, Georgia, and Texas have higher statewide composite scores than Tennessee, but test fewer than 40 percent of graduates, according to SCORE. Tennessee requires every public high school student to take either the ACT or the SAT and offers them the option to take it a second time through the ACT Senior Retake Program.

Advancement for Historically Underserved Groups

SCORE’s research also identified “important advancements” for economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and English language learners on the ACT.

These student groups all made gains in their overall composite score and in their share of students earning a 21 score or higher.

Graphic by SCORE

Despite improvement, these groups, as well as Black/Hispanic/Native Americans, all scored below the state composite average, underscoring the importance of targeted support, according to SCORE.

“Tennessee’s 2025 ACT results show both resilience and room for growth. Students — especially those who have been historically underserved — have made meaningful strides; however, too many are still graduating unprepared for postsecondary success,” stated the report. “Improving ACT scores statewide will require a collective commitment to expand access to advanced coursework; improve supports for effective instructional strategies; invest in teacher compensation and advanced teaching roles to attract and retain effective educators; scale high-performing school models; and maintain a commitment to high expectations and transparent assessment.”

Pandemic Recovery

Last year, Tennessee students recorded their first improvement in ACT scores since the pandemic, rising from a 19 composite score to 19.3. This year’s composite score remains stable from last year, while the national average has declined or remained flat for the eighth consecutive year, according to SCORE.

ACT/SAT results serve as a national indicator of college and career readiness. Earning a score of 21 on the ACT or 1060 on the SAT is one of the four pathways indicating that students are prepared for career and/or postsecondary education after high school.

SCORE’s research found the share of Tennessee students scoring a 21 or higher on the ACT fell slightly, from 37.7 percent in 2024 to 37.2 percent in 2025.