Newton Senior High School graduates once again scored above the Iowa state average on the ACT test, a test used by many colleges for admissions. This feat is made more impressive by the fact that Iowa finished second in the nation in ACT achievement. While the state average is 22.3, Newton graduates averaged 23.0.

The test is also used by ACT to measure college readiness, and again Newton graduates bested the state average. While 71 percent of Iowa graduates met "college ready" requirements, 76 percent of Newton students did so. Only 59 percent of national students met this standard.

The ACT measures achievement in the areas of English, Reading, Math, and Science.

Principal Bill Peters states, "As a school district we are very proud to see the large variety of classes we offer, the excellent teaching staff, and the fantastic student efforts result in such high academic performance. NHS kids routinely outscore other schools in Iowa."