Based on the 2011 SAT college entrance exam results, critical reading scores have hit a new record low. This statistic holds both good and bad news. Good news? I know, it sounds crazy – but the lower scores are believed to be a result of a record number of students taking the exam, especially among minorities. Which means: more students are seeking a higher education. The bad news… only 43% of students passed the exam at the college-ready benchmark. Which means: less than half of high school students are prepared for a college education.
Critical reading scores fell 3 points from 2010 to 2011, which may not sound substantial, but it was the first time in the last 20 years that scores decreased by that much in one year. This decrease has also contributed to reading scores dropping 11 points since 2005.
But many wonder if is this drop is solely the result of a greater emphasis on college among non-native English speakers. After all, English was not the first language of 27% of the test-takers (up from 19% ten years ago). And the tests results did reveal achievement gaps among different ethnic groups (primarily due to their language backgrounds). Critical reading scores for Caucasian students’ averaged 528, 451 for Latino students, and 428 for African-American students. Of the 1.65 million test takers, 44% of them were from a minority ethic group.
These results reveal a large gap in ESL education. As this population continues to grow, we need to provide them with the foundation they need to succeed.
The SAT test data also revealed a few factors that contribute to higher test scores on critical reading, as well as overall scores: having completed a core curriculum (4+ years of English, 3+ years of math, 3+ years of science, 3+ years of history and social science) led students to score a combined 143 points higher than students who did not, students who participated in Advanced Placement and honors courses performed significantly better, and those that took the Preliminary SAT Test scored an average of 145 points higher on the SAT then those who did not.
With the drop in overall scores, it is important to note that according to College Board, the test’s sponsor: “there [were] more high-performing students among the class of 2011 than ever before.”
With there being so many areas that education can be improved, it’s encouraging to hear that there is an increasing amount of high-performing students. While there are still strides to make in many areas, there are strides that have been made.