U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings released the following statement regarding the release of the ACT Assessment scores:

"The ACT Assessment scores contain reasons for both optimism and action. We are heartened that scores remained steady even while the number of test-takers increased. Since 2001, the number of test-takers has increased by 11 percent, with Hispanic students up 40 percent and African American students up 23 percent.

"But a deeper look at the data suggests that too many students remain unprepared for college. ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks show little or no improvement, particularly in math and science.

"President Bush is seeking to strengthen the foundational skills of incoming high school students so they can stay on track for college. We are working with Congress to encourage more schools to offer rigorous coursework and more students to take it. The time to help next year's graduating class is now."

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