for further information:
Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773
mobile (239) 699-0468
for release Tuesday, September 27, 2016
“OLD” SAT SCORES DROP AGAIN;
NUMBER OF STUDENTS TAKING SAT SUBJECT TESTS CONTINUES TO DECLINE;
AT SAME TIME, TEST-OPTIONAL ADMISSIONS MOVEMENT SURGES
AS 32 MORE SCHOOLS SAY THEY WILL IGNORE SAT/ACT EXAM RESULTS
SAT scores for high school seniors dropped again this year, continuing a decade-long trend, according to data released today. SAT averages declined by 34 points since 2006. That is the year when the “No Child Left Behind” public school testing mandate went into effect. Score differences between racial groups increased, often significantly, over that period.
Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director of the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest), said, “Test-and-punish public school policies have clearly failed. As measured by the SAT, the ‘No Child Left Behind’ era did nothing to improve college readiness or narrow racial gaps. In fact, average SAT Scores dropped from 2006 levels for every group except Asian-Americans. The ACT admissions exam and the National Assessment of Educational Progress show similar trends.”
The number of students taking SAT Subject Tests and the volume of those exams administered also declined. “Over the past five years, 24% fewer high school grads sat for any SAT Subject tests,” Schaeffer explained. “That cost the College Board, the exam’s owner, millions in lost revenue.”
Schaeffer continued, “Fortunately, many more colleges and universities recognize that they do not need SAT scores – from the old exam, the ‘redesigned’ version, or subject tests – to make quality admissions decisions. Over the last twelve months, 32 more schools dropped ACT/SAT requirements for all or many applicants. That’s the fastest annual test-optional growth ever.” A list of 870 institutions that de-emphasize admissions tests is posted athttp://www.fairtest.org/university/optional.
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2016 COLLEGE-BOUND SENIORS SAT SCORES | |||||||
READING | MATH | WRITING | TOTAL | ||||
ALL TEST-TAKERS | 494 | 508 | 482 | 1484 | |||
Female | 493 | 494 | 487 | 1474 | |||
Male | 495 | 524 | 475 | 1494 | |||
Amer. Indian or Alaskan Native | 468 | 471 | 447 | 1386 | |||
Asian, Asian Amer. or Pacific Islander | 529 | 602 | 534 | 1665 | |||
Black or African American | 430 | 425 | 415 | 1270 | |||
Hispanic, Latino or Latin American | 448 | 453 | 436 | 1337 | |||
Two or more races, non-Hispanic | 511 | 505 | 488 | 1514 | |||
Other | 496 | 519 | 491 | 1506 | |||
White | 528 | 533 | 511 | 1572 |
2016 COLLEGE-BOUND SENIORS SAT SCORES BY FAMILY INCOME |
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READING | MATH | WRITING | TOTAL | ||
$ 0 – $20,000 | 435 | 453 | 426 | 1314 | |
$20,000 – $40,000 | 465 | 477 | 452 | 1394 | |
$40,000 – $60,000 | 488 | 495 | 471 | 1454 | |
$60,000 – $80,000 | 503 | 509 | 485 | 1497 | |
$80,000 – $100,000 | 517 | 527 | 501 | 1545 | |
$100,000 – $140,000 | 530 | 539 | 513 | 1582 | |
$140,000 – $200,000 | 542 | 553 | 528 | 1623 | |
More than $200,000 | 569 | 586 | 562 | 1717 | |
Calculated by FairTest from: College Board, College-Bound Seniors 2016: Total Group Profile Report |
Attachment | Size |
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SAT2016ScoresRelease.pdf | 201.28 KB |