Each spring, all public 11th-grade students in Tennessee take the ACT test during the school day, free of charge, and seniors have the opportunity for a free retake. Notably, in 2016 Tennessee became the first state in the nation to guarantee all students two free in-school ACT attempts, helping make Tennessee one of 11 states with nearly universal ACT participation.
These ACT scores matter. The results are widely used to determine eligibility for postsecondary admissions and unlock financial aid opportunities for students, including Tennessee’s HOPE scholarship and its supplements, which awarded over $367 million to more than 75,000 students in 2024-25. ACT results also play a role in both state and federal education accountability systems and influence district outcomes bonuses under TISA, the state’s K-12 funding formula.
Monitoring the state’s ACT results, alongside other important measures of academic achievement like TCAP end-of-course (EOC) assessments, helps state leaders determine if Tennessee is preparing students for higher education and making progress to transform education into an engine for economic independence — a key priority outlined in SCORE's 2026 State of Education report. This analysis focuses primarily on the recent state ACT results released by the Tennessee Department of Education, which report students’ highest scores and are closest to the scores postsecondary institutions commonly use in admissions. When comparing results to national trends and other states, we rely on ACT’s national reporting, which uses students’ most recent scores. Here are five key data insights from Tennessee’s 2024-25 ACT results.
Data Insights:
1. Tennessee’s 2025 average ACT composite score remains stable from last year. In 2024, Tennessee saw its first improvement in ACT scores since the pandemic. This year’s score, 19.3 out of 36 points, maintains this progress. In contrast, the national average has declined or remained flat for the eighth consecutive year. ACT’s data show the gap between Tennessee and the national average has been cut in half since 2020. While Tennessee has yet to surpass its prepandemic ACT composite score, this stability signals resilience among the state’s students and schools as they work toward regaining previous levels of college readiness.
2. Tennessee’s 2025 average state ACT composite score outperforms all other southern states with similar participation rates. While many states in this southern peer group saw declining scores from 2024 to 2025, Tennessee’s score remained steady. All of these states have lower ACT scores today than in 2020, while Tennessee’s score is closest to recovery. Many states do not require all students to take a postsecondary readiness assessment like Tennessee does, which makes fair comparisons across states difficult. Southern states like Florida, Georgia, and Texas have higher statewide composite scores than Tennessee but test fewer than 40% of graduates.
3. Historically underserved student groups in Tennessee made important advancements on the ACT in 2025. Economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and English learners made gains in overall composite score and in the share of students earning a score of 21 or higher. While these groups continue to score below the state average, their progress shows that improvement is happening. Ensuring high-quality instruction and providing targeted supports will be essential for all students to be prepared for postsecondary success.
4. The share of Tennessee students scoring 21 or higher on the ACT, a measure predictive of success in first-year college courses, fell slightly compared to 2024. The threshold for HOPE scholarship eligibility is 21, and just over one-third of Tennessee students met or exceeded this threshold in 2025. This score is also used in Tennessee’s federal and state accountability systems and to determine TISA outcomes bonuses. Tennessee has made progress on this metric since the pandemic, but this share fell slightly from last year, highlighting the need for continued focus on academic rigor and support.
5. Nationwide, students who took more math and English courses consistently perform better on the ACT. According to ACT’s analysis, students nationwide who took four math and English courses — required to graduate in Tennessee — consistently outperformed students with three or fewer years of math and English instruction. These results underscore the importance of maintaining Tennessee’s rigorous graduation requirements and expanding access to advanced coursework, factors that are key in preparing students for postsecondary and career success.
Conclusion
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. While the ACT gives us clarity about whether students are likely to find success in postsecondary education, our state end-of-course assessments provide critical insights into deep mastery of skills that help educators, families, and state leaders know whether students are on track in key subject areas. Both are important tools that enable the state to prepare students for the careers of tomorrow. Together, these rigorous assessments allow the state to monitor performance over time, identify gaps, and evaluate impact. 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.
To learn more about SCORE’s policy recommendations for the coming year, explore the 2026 State of Education Report and visit TN2030.org to see how data-driven collaboration is shaping Tennessee’s vision for student success.
A note of thanks to Lawand Yaseen, SCORE’s senior data and research analyst, for the data analysis and insights highlighted here.