Florida Students Behind in College Preparedness

Florida students trail behind the nation in terms of being prepared for college after they leave high school, according to ACT college-admissions-test results released Wednesday morning.

A small number -- 19 percent -- of Florida's students were considered "college ready" on all four ACT exams, according to "The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2013" report. The ACT covers English, math, science and reading. This year's number slightly surpassed last year's results, which showed 18 percent of Florida's students were "college ready." Both numbers, however, are below the national average of 26 percent.

More alarmingly, 40 percent of Florida's students are not college-ready in any subject, a number that is 9 percentage points higher than the national average.

Interim Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart said she was happy students were taking the ACT and preparing for college. Seventy-four percent of the class of 2013 in the Sunshine State -- around 124,000 students -- took the ACT. The average composite score was 19.6 out of 36, making Florida one of the lowest scores in the country.