U.S., local, state SAT scores fall
Public schools dip 6 points, private schools even more
By Diette Courrégé
Lowcountry public and private high school seniors' scores on the SAT college entrance exam plunged this year, mimicking a statewide and national trend of lower scores, according to results released Tuesday by the College Board.
Public school students' composite scores statewide fell six points to 1,445, while the national average for all students dropped two points to 1,509.
Palmetto State private school seniors' scores plummeted even more dramatically, with parochial school students' scores decreasing seven points to 1,562 and independent school scores falling 38 points to 1,508.
The SAT composite score comprises critical reading, math and writing sections.
The state's overall national ranking held steady at 48th, ahead of Hawaii, Maine and the District of Columbia, and the percentage of students taking the test in South Carolina is the 13th highest in the country.
Although fewer public school students nationally took the SAT, down 5.7 percent, South Carolina had a 2.4 percent increase in students taking the exam.
State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex was glad to see more students taking the test, but called the drop in scores perplexing.
"There's something going on that's bringing down the SAT scores" at every level, he said, "and exactly what that is is not clear."
He didn't know whether the test-score decline was a one-year blip or something that warranted concern, but he pointed out that the state's 22-point improvement in reading and math during the past 10 years is the best in the country among states where more than half of its seniors take the SAT.
Rex said he'd like to see more schools take advantage of the Individualized Graduation Plans mandated for students to ensure that they include the appropriate courses and preliminary testing needed to prepare for the college-entrance exams.
"Since we know proper guidance makes such a big difference and we have the Individualized Graduation Plan requirement, we ought to be taking advantage of that process," he said.
Larry Watt, executive director of the South Carolina Independent School Association, said that even with the one-year decline, private and independent schools still scored higher than their public school counterparts.
In addition, the number of students in private schools is a much smaller population than those in public schools, he said, so it's not unusual to see a larger year-to-year fluctuation in scores.
Last week the state released scores on the ACT college entrance exam that showed the Lowcountry's three largest school districts posting gains on the exam while the state average dropped. The improvement coincided with an increase in the number of students taking the test.
On the SAT, public students' scores in Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester Districts 2 and 4 dropped, with the biggest decline happening in Berkeley, which fell 24 points to 1,435. Berkeley had the lowest composite average of the three biggest local districts.
Berkeley County Superintendent Anthony Parker said he's very concerned about the drop. SAT scores are "an indicator of success for the future of our kids," he said.
Parker said district officials haven't yet had time to analyze the data, but that the district would put strategies in place to address the problems.
"We're going to look at exactly what the reasons might be for the drop, and we're going to look at each school," he said.
Charleston students' composite scores on the college entrance exam dropped five points to 1,453, while its number of test-takers fell for the second consecutive year, a decrease of 70 students to 1,393.
In Dorchester 2, composite scores dropped six points to 1,478. While the average score at Summerville High School increased 16 points to 1,491, it dropped 38 points at Fort Dorchester High to 1,461.
Testing coordinator Debbie Gilliam said "we're always concerned about a drop in test scores." But, she said, the district needs time to look at the report to see what happened. "Is it a certain gender, or a certain group of students?"
After the district figures out where the problem lies, it will develop some strategies to deal with it, she said.
The College Board also released seniors' scores on Advanced Placement exams, and South Carolina's public school students showed improvement.
An all-time high of 14,970 students scored well enough to earn college credit, which was an 11.4 percent increase from last year. College Board will release local district and school results this fall.
SAT SCORES
The following are public high school students' scores on the 3 components of the SAT, as well as their composite score for this year. (The composite score is not necessarily the sum total of the 3 components.)
School — Verbal — Math — Writing — Composite
Berkeley County — 479 — 495 — 461 — 1435
Berkeley High — 452 — 480 — 437 — 1368
Cross High — 396 — 402 — 379 — 1177
Goose Creek High — 478 — 520 — 452 — 1450
Hanahan High 493 — 493 — 483 — 1470
Stratford High — 508 — 517 — 489 — 1514
Timberland High — 450 — 457 — 429 — 1336
Charleston County — 487 — 493 — 473 — 1453
Academic Magnet High — 625 — 626 — 618 — 1869
Baptist Hill High — 394 — 394 — 385 — 1173
Burke High — 386 — 382 — 375 — 1144
Charlestowne Academy — 422 — 409 — 373 — 1204
Garrett Academy — 399 — 410 — 386 — 1195
James Island High — 502 — 512 — 503 — 1516
Lincoln High — 380 — 409 — 377 — 1166
Military Magnet Academy — 362 — 387 — 368 — 1116
North Charleston High — 382 — 375 — 373 — 1130
R B Stall High — 386 — 399 — 383 — 1169
Saint John's High — 396 — 419 — 375 — 1190
School of the Arts — 545 — 531 — 535 — 1611
Septima P Clark Corp Academy — 335 — 346 — 328 — 1010
Wando High — 527 — 538 — 504 — 1568
West Ashley High — 452 — 456 — 440 — 1348
Dorchester 2 — 495 — 508 — 475 — 1478
Fort Dorchester High — 492 — 501 — 468 — 1461
Summerville High — 498 — 514 — 479 — 1491
Dorchester 4
Woodland High — 416 — 419 — 421 — 1256
Diane Knich contributed to this report. Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postandcourier.com.
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sardis12 (anonymous) says...
Good Lord! Even Mississippi did better than us! Really, these scores are horrible. A three-hour bus ride to the Academic Magnet Academy might not be such a bad thing after all...
August 26, 2009 at 1:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TheHawg (anonymous) says...
Lower scores nationwide.
A product of "No Child Left Behind".
Overburden teachers with stupid accommodation programs and paperwork and this is what you get.
JUST GIVE TEACHERS TIME TO TEACH AND STOP ALL THE PAPERWORK AND MEETINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
START EXPECTING THE STUDENTS TO ACTUALLY MASTER THE SUBJECT MATTER, AND STOP MAKING EXCUSES WHY THEY CAN'T.
August 26, 2009 at 5:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
metallic (anonymous) says...
>>>... and the percentage of students taking the test in South Carolina is the 13th highest in the country.
Although fewer public school students nationally took the SAT, down 5.7 percent, South Carolina had a 2.4 percent increase in students taking the exam.
State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex was glad to see more students taking the test, but called the drop in scores perplexing.<<<
Perplexing?
It sounds like Superintendent Rex doesn't understand math and logic.
As a state, we have a larger percentage of students taking the SAT -- where other states just have their top students (mostly those who have been identified as college-bound) taking the test.
Our state's scores are lower since we have more "average" (and in some cases, "below average") students taking the SAT than other states do.
If we want to increase our scores -- and not be 48th in the country anymore -- we need to develop policies where LESS students are encouraged to take the SAT.
If only South Carolina's top students are taking the SAT (as is the case in other states) we'll look a lot better when compared to the national averages.
August 26, 2009 at 6:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
No your wrong Hawg, no child left behind works. Look at the schools that are performing and you'll see kids that left under performing schools. I know 10 kids that won't go to NChas., or Stall, and attend Wando or AM. See when given the chance to learn they will. Imagine that. Take Academic Magnet, School of the arts and JI out of the equation and Charleston County is a train wreck!
August 26, 2009 at 6:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DougHuffman (anonymous) says...
How many times has this 'standard' been revised, ever upwards? I think that I can recall at least two and maybe three renormalizations and now a essay has been added (I'll bet my HS English teacher wouldn't recognize it as an 'essay').
Read The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America by Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt.
If there are no failures then there can be no successes.
August 26, 2009 at 6:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scottmcx (anonymous) says...
From PC yesterday, this says it all...
"Board Chairwoman Toya Green said she supported aggressively promoting reading but that she didn't like the idea of tying promotion to ability."
DE-FUND PUBLIC SCREWELS!
August 26, 2009 at 7:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
Metallic is sort of right. If only college-bound, good students took the test, our average would be higher. More students take the test here on average than in other states. For example, only 4% take it in Mississippi, so their scores are above the national average. In Maine, 100% of seniors have to take it, so they are below us.
But, it is not true that only the best students take the test in most states. The average is about 50%, and we are at about 60%. So, we are worse off, but not by THAT much.
August 26, 2009 at 7:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oldglory (anonymous) says...
scottmcx, can't say I always agree with you, but that quote is unbelievable. If not ability, what does one tie promotion to? The number of times one blows one's nose?
August 26, 2009 at 8:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SummerGirl (anonymous) says...
Read Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue In the Land Of the Free, by Charles P. Pierce.
August 26, 2009 at 8:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
This is to be expected. We are, afterall, teaching our children that if they decide not to apply themselves, those that DO apply themselves will bail them out. I've paid mortgages, auto manufacturer labor gimmies, new car rebates, food, housing and drugs for multiple baby welfare families... and now I hear that I am going to get to buy new appliances for the freeloaders.
The United States of America has jumped the shark. As with many other great societies in past history, we are declining. The only saving grace is that I think we will still be the best country in the world at least through the end of my lifetime. I feel sorry for my children and grandchildren.
August 26, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reader (anonymous) says...
But we are also teaching those who do apply themselves that they too will benefit from public support. I've paid for Pell grants for college students and mortgage deductions for homeowners. The cost of my hamburger has gone up because of minimum wage going to hardworking kids every summer. And don't get me started on the public schools and colleges I have to pay for! And I'm tired of supporting my grandparents who are soaking up Social Security. They worked hard for fifty years, and now they want a break!
Oh well. Maybe government programs are pig troughs only when the program helps the other guy.
August 26, 2009 at 9:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
guidedbystewart (anonymous) says...
In case you didn't read scottmcx
"Palmetto State private school seniors' scores plummeted even more dramatically, with parochial school students' scores decreasing seven points to 1,562 and independent school scores falling 38 points to 1,508".
August 26, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nursemom (anonymous) says...
Cannot help but wonder if this is another reflection on the economy. I wonder what the decrease in enrollment for the private SAT prep classes was over the past year. The Princeton SAT small group review class is $1400!
Perhaps this is a more accurate reflection of the students actual knowledge that is not artificially inflated by studying the test.
August 26, 2009 at 10:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lou9 (anonymous) says...
Metallic says "If we want to increase our scores -- and not be 48th in the country anymore -- we need to develop policies where LESS students are encouraged to take the SAT.
If only South Carolina's top students are taking the SAT (as is the case in other states) we'll look a lot better when compared to the national averages." Well, duh! What a shocking revelation that is. Stack the deck with only your best students, make the scores look good, and the educrats can put their heads back in the sand (or somewhere else) and tell you that they are doing a good job educating your children. I think every high school student should take the SAT, whether they plan on going to college or not. These test scores just exposes the continuing dumbing down of students by the education system. But then reading comprehension is not necessary for promotion, as Ms. Toya Green said.
August 26, 2009 at 10:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lou9 (anonymous) says...
Metallic says "If we want to increase our scores -- and not be 48th in the country anymore -- we need to develop policies where LESS students are encouraged to take the SAT.
If only South Carolina's top students are taking the SAT (as is the case in other states) we'll look a lot better when compared to the national averages." Well, duh! What a shocking revelation that is. Stack the deck with only your best students, make the scores look good, and the educrats can put their heads back in the sand (or somewhere else) and tell you that they are doing a good job educating your children. I think every high school student should take the SAT, whether they plan on going to college or not. These test scores just exposes the continuing dumbing down of students by the education system. But then reading comprehension is not necessary for promotion, as Ms. Toya Green said.
August 26, 2009 at 10:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lou9 (anonymous) says...
Excuse me for the double post. I am a product of public education.
August 26, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bornin43 (anonymous) says...
SAT test should be restricted to the students who take college prep courses.
Our current system of encouraging ALL students to take these test pulls our scores down.
If a student takes BASIC courses and does not have a knowledge of chemistry, biology, algebra, etc., they should not take a test involving these subjects.
August 26, 2009 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lou9 (anonymous) says...
The 3 components of the SAT (as stated in the article) are verbal, math, and writing. These are 3 things all students should be able to do well before graduating high school. This is why all students should take the SAT.
August 26, 2009 at 11:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
Reader, I have no problem supporting infrastructure or supporting those that cannot support themselves do to no fault of their own. Right now I'm being forced to support crack heads, meth heads, people already on welfare that continue to have babies, societies drop outs that didn't put themselves in a position to succeed... that's where the problem lies.
Comparing receiving social security to getting a mortgage bail out because you over extended yourself is kind of silly.
August 26, 2009 at 11:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MANDO (anonymous) says...
It's the Usual Suspects pulling the test scores down. I would simply attribute the SMALL drop in fluxuation results-- next year it may be 5 points higher. What will they attribute that to, the economy rallying? Ha!
August 26, 2009 at 12:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
PHiers (anonymous) says...
Am I the only one who noticed that almost every school had the writing section as their average lowest score? When I took the SAT, there was no writing section and calculators were NOT allowed. Could it be that adding the writing section and allowing calculators actually cause the average student to take more time and they end up not completing the test as well as they might otherwise. Before calculators were allowed for example, if you understood the concept of the math question you didn't need a calculator and could easily pick out the correct answer. Similarly with the verbal section, if you understood the concept of the particular question, it was fairly easy to pick out the correct answer.
If our state commerce dept ever expects to attract better paying businesses then our state ed dept needs to start better preparing our public school students for work and college because businesses looking to expand always look at the education level and employment capabilities of the area population.
August 26, 2009 at 1:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shoelaces (anonymous) says...
It's a shame we are teaching to a test at just about every grade level now. Gone are the days of teaching useful skills and actually instilling a love of learning into our children. We are too busy teaching standards and how to take a test that we are missing the goal....TEACHING KIDS.
Rexy is saying if more kids took the classes to teach them how to take the SAT then maybe our scores would be higher. So basically, the high school teachers aren't preparing the kids in their regular curriculum to perform well on the SAT's. Hmmm....at least it isn't just those of us teaching elementary school who are being shat upon.
August 26, 2009 at 5:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TheHawg (anonymous) says...
Moonpie,
You are correct. That is one aspect of the act that is working. But what is that? It is free choice. School choice, plain and simple.
The other ugly part of the act is the paperwork, excessive meetings, and labeling every other student with some sort of learning disability which requires another mountain of paperwork and making more excuses why he/she can't perform well. Yes, some need special consideration, but the system is grossly abused.
August 26, 2009 at 7:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wonderdog (anonymous) says...
Great points, shoelaces. The purpose of the SAT is to measure what you learned in school, not in a special course. When I was in high school the only additional "instruction" we received was to get a good night sleep and eat a good breakfast before the test. I gave my kids the same additional "instruction."
August 26, 2009 at 8:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GreenvilleGirl (anonymous) says...
One of our daughters went to a "magnet" school in its early years; the students were initially comprised of students who were assigned to the school (a mix of probably 50% college bound, and 50% non-college bound students) before it was a magnet academy. After the magnet status, by the time she took the SAT, the student body was approx. 60% college bound/magnet. Yet > 75% of all students took the SAT--- and those who couldn't pay had their fees paid from public and "private" funds.
The big PUSH (a Jesse Jackson coalition) has been to ENABLE more kids to take the SAT, whether they want to or not.......
I've since talked to the kids I knew took the SAT and had NO intention of going to anything other than job training programs through the school career center in high school. They told me they got extra credit in their class if they signed up to take the SAT...........
..............and then laughed as they told me how they determined the answers. They used variations of connect-the-dots
August 26, 2009 at 8:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
charlestowne2 (anonymous) says...
South Carolina already eliminates lower performing students from taking the SAT. The 50% that drop out don't take the test. So only the better students do. You can use the test as a competition between states but that isn't what it is meant for. It is used by colleges as one part of admissons policy. It isn't the only critera used and frankly it is becoming less important for college admission. Last point, schools were never meant to teach to a test. Schools are places were children can dream and experiment with their ideas. Schools are places were it is safe to make mistakes. That is how we learn. Schools are to let individuals find there nitch and flourish. One size does not fit all. Students do not progress locked step. They develop mentally and physically at their own rates. Let them. To do otherwise makes them into failures. We want our schools back!!!
August 26, 2009 at 8:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ashleyriver (anonymous) says...
I know this won't be popular amongst Lowcountry readers, but wanna guess which county led the state in these scores and was pretty far above the national average??
It was Pickens Co.......thats right, the rednecks in the Northwestern corner of the state. I can't imagine what influence might have led to this.
Still, as a state, SC continues to lag far behind the nation and the region in education continuing a noble tradition. Its every South Carolinian's right to expect poorly educated children of our public school system....and to prove it, the same fools keep sending the same bozo's to Columbia.
Consistency is the hobgoblin of foolish (and poorly educated) minds.
August 26, 2009 at 10:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
musicpaladin2007 (anonymous) says...
Wonderdog... no, the SAT is NOT necessarily a test to measure what you learned in school.
The purpose of the SAT is to gauge critical thinking skills and to measure an estimation of how well a student would do in college. It is not necessarily a knowledge based test. It measures your ability to think.
Things were a lot different when you were in high school. I hate it when people make comparisons about "well, when I was in high school..." you are talking about apples and oranges, people. This is a different world you live in.
I do agree, however about the percentage of students actually TAKING the test skewing results. You can't compare them.
Just like... you also cannot compare the scores. The scoring of this test is COMPLETELY different from the test you and I took in school.
PHiers... you are also incorrect. The individual sections of the SAT are timed... which means adding one more section of writing would not detract from the available time to do the rest of the test, it would simply make the test take longer. And.... try doing some of the math on these tests these days without a calculator.
I am astonished every day by the amount of people on this thing spewing false facts that they think they know a lot about but in reality know nothing about.
August 30, 2009 at 5:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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