High school reports modest ACT gains, five students score above 30

Bledsoe County High School principal Matt Ridley presented the school’s ACT annual report and highlighted incremental gains in the junior cohort.

Ridley said the current junior class posted a junior‑only composite average of 18.5, noting it is one of the highest junior‑only scores the school has recorded. He reported a 1.1‑point gain in math and a 0.5‑point gain in reading from the prior year, and said five students scored above a 30 on the ACT — the most the principal could find in the school’s records. Ridley attributed progress to a required four‑week junior ACT prep rotation, certified ACT instructors, targeted class placement based on preACT scores, industry‑certification emphasis and an ACT boot camp company the school contracts to provide last‑minute test strategies.

Ridley said the school expects the overall ACT average to rise after senior retakes and described recognition programs (wall of fame, reward trips) that acknowledge students who score 21 or higher. He told the board that science instruction remains a policy issue because the ACT’s science component is variably weighted by colleges and the state’s accountability approach is evolving.

Board members thanked Ridley for the update and encouraged continued emphasis on remediation and retake opportunities ahead of senior testing windows.