VIDALIA — Districtwide, Concordia Parish’s public schools showed improvement in ACT scores, but only one school’s composite score was actually up.

Ferriday High School raised its score from 16.2 to 17, while Vidalia High School dropped from 19.5 to 19.2 and Monterey dropped from 20.6 to 19.4.

Vidalia High School Principal Rick Brown said some variances in test scores can be attributed to different testing groups.

“Each group is different, with different strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

He also said it might be attributed to the fact that non-college bound students are taking the test, which is specifically designed to measure the ability of students to complete college-level work.

That’s a theory that Concordia Parish Academic Director Paul Nelson shared as well.

“Vidalia High probably tested 40 students five years ago, and now they’re testing 70 or 80,” Nelson said. “That opens it up to students who haven’t really taken chemistry or Algebra II, or other classes that really prepare you for the ACT.”

There’s nothing wrong with testing those students, but ultimately it skews the school — and the parish — composite score, Nelson said.

The school district is not penalized for drops in ACT scores, because the ACT is a private test and is not a part of accountability testing. Following Hurricane Katrina, the parish’s composite score dropped, but since 2007 it has grown from 18 to 18.3 in 2008 and 18.6 in 2009.

“If we can continue to show a gain of a third of a point a year, I will be ticked to death,” Nelson said. “You are usually able to sustain slow growths better than large bursts. If you are going to hop two points every year, eventually you are going to top out.”

The immediate goal for the district is to get above the state average of 20.1, Nelson said.

“We are still behind what we need to be,” he said. “Our goal would always be to supercede the state average.”

The district plans to put more emphasis on the ACT parish-wide, Nelson said.

In the past, the district has done ACT workshops, and Nelson said it is looking at investing in ACT software that would allow students to access from home with a username and password.

“We are doing some research to find what will be the best fit,” Nelson said.

Huntington School Headmaster Ray King said he was not at liberty to release the school’s scores without the approval of the school board.

Administrators at Ferriday High School and Monterey School could not be reached for comment.