Thousands of East Tennessee students are failing to meet fundamental education benchmarks, ACT test data shows.
Last year in Knox County, 1,324 students scored below the score of 19 on the college entrance exam. 10 East Tennessee public school systems had more than half of their test taking students score a 19 or higher.
The national average on the ACT last year was a 20.8.
"Everyone can succeed, it's just a little bit harder the more your ACT goes and dips below that 19 in that reading section," Pellissippi State Community College Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Services Leigh Anne Touzeau said.
Touzeau says the areas most students struggle when entering Pellissippi State are math, writing and reading. Around 60 percent of students score below a 19 on math and reading and an 18 on writing and are required to take remedial courses.
"If you don't read regularly, you just probably need to start doing that. It's going to help you in everything you do," Touzeau said.
Department of education data shows that L&N Stem Academy, Gatlinburg Pittman High School, Farragut High Shool and Maryville High School lead East Tennessee public schools for the best ACT scores. Hancock, Scott and Campbell county districts were the lowest performing districts in the area.
There are certainly things that some schools have figured out to do well, but none of it matters if the students don't want it," ACT prep coach Bobby Nicholson said.
While some critics of the test say it puts to much pressure on students to perform well, Nicholson says performing under pressure is another valuable aspect of the test.
"Academia isn't everything, but you have to be able to perform under pressure in the vast majority of jobs that are going to be well paying in our current civilization," Nicholson said.
Both Nicholson and Touzeau say that the test score number does not indicate future success, but it can suggest if a student will face more obstacles.
Touzea says the best indicator of success is grit and determination.
The Tennessee Department of Education publishes ACT test information both by distict and by school. An overview of last year's performance is available here.