2005 SAT scores rise but participation stagnates
With the release of the 2005 Virginia SAT and AP scores, keep in mind that
many, if not most, of the newspaper articles will be heavily based on the VA
Department of Education's press release. (See
www.pen.k12.va.us but
be prepared to be
overwhelmed with figures and PR-speak.) Below is a bit of analysis and
explanation you won't find in the press release, based on a closer look at the
full SAT results as reported on the College Board web site. The full AP
results have not been made available to the public yet.
Virginia's public school students'
2005 SAT score average is 1025 (513 verbal; 512 math), up from 2004's average
score of 1019 (512 verbal; 507 math).
In other words,
VA's overall average scores on the SAT are up, matching the national trend.
Virginia’s private school increase, however, has been much greater, rising 42
points in the past five years to the public schools’ growth of 19 points.
They don't have SOL tests to prepare for. Apparently, achievement is
occurring and improving there anyway.
The participation rates of Virginia
public high school seniors on the SAT I rose a fraction this year, from 59 %
to 59.7% of seniors taking the SAT I. While participation rates were at a
high in 2002, when 61% of public high school seniors took SAT I, they have
remained fairly flat over the past seven years. So much for more kids getting
the higher achievement message.
See participation graph.
Participation rates for
African-American high school students rose to 50% of African-American seniors,
after several years of falling participation. However, it is important to
note that rising numbers of African-Americans are not making it from 9th grade
to their senior year. African-Americans in the Class of 2005 lost 36% of
their original 9th grade members. Based on those figures, only 32% of the
original Class of 2005 took the SAT I. This slightly reverses a four-year
downward trend that began in 2000. See
participation graph.
Meanwhile, the
gap between Caucasian and African American students' SAT scores grew by one
point to 205 points. Caucasian students' scores rose 12
points; African-American students' scores rose 11 points.
As for the AP exams, the
percentage of students earning a grade of 3 or better fell from 62% in 2004
to 60.4% in 2005. Based on the big growth in AP participation, it appears
that the efforts of the Department of Education and the Governor to expand
access to AP courses to students across the Commonwealth are succeeding. More
students have access than ever before so comparison of participation rates are
generally not useful. Strong students who, in the past, did not but might have
participated in AP courses had such courses been available are now able to
participate. This is good news for Virginia students. Whether it has
anything to do with SOL testing remains to be seen.
In the meantime, attendance at
four-year colleges by Virginia students is flat at around 34% for the past 9
years. African American students' 4-year college attendance has dropped since
1998, from 20% to 17%.
Hmmm. Is this rising
achievement?