Decatur Superintendent Provides Insights into SAT Scores
Decatur Metro | September 16, 2011From CSD Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Edwards…
Decatur, GA (2011)- Recently-released Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores show Decatur seniors scoring above state and national averages. 89% of Decatur’s graduating class took the SAT. The state average SAT composite score dropped from 1453 to 1445. The national average SAT composite score dropped from 1509 to 1500. The Decatur average SAT composite score increased from 1513 to 1518.
The Critical Reading section on the SAT offers the highest scores in Decatur. The 516 average (800 is a perfect score on this sub-test) is 19 points above the nation and 31 points above Georgia.
Math continues to be an area where improvement is needed. Decatur math scores stayed at 503. State math scores dropped to 487.
The gap between Decatur black and white students dropped from 495 to 421. Black students made significant gains, particularly in critical reading as scores increased from 417 to 441. Decatur’s black students outperformed other black students in critical reading, math, and writing at the state and national levels.
Five-year trend data shows the state of Georgia tumbling in all areas: Reading -3, Math -3, and Writing, -2. Decatur scores have grown +5 in Writing. Participation rates vary widely in Georgia high schools. Some schools have less than 40% of their students take the SAT. Decatur High boasted a 95% participation rate in 2011. Research indicates that students who take rigorous courses excel on the SAT. Decatur continues to offer a full array of Advanced Placement courses. In addition, Decatur High School has an International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme in grades 9-10. Current efforts are underway to establish an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in grades 11-12. All students in grades 4-10 engage in IB programmes in City Schools of Decatur. “I am proud of the direction to encourage students to take these tests and gain experience on this type of test-taking. It is an approach that says it is more important to allow students opportunities even when the outcome of more students taking these tests tends to lower the average,” shared Dr. Phyllis A. Edwards, Superintendent.
“We continue to be excited about the performance of all students in Decatur, particularly at Decatur High School. The work of teachers and students alike shine through these results.”
The College Board, administrator of the SAT, is a non-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. The association is composed of more than 5,200 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. For more information, visit www.collegeboard.org.
I know I’m greedy for data but now I want a 2X3 table which shows the math, reading, and writing scores by black students, by white/other, and by all DHS students. Otherwise, I end up calculating rough estimates with rough assumptions (like student population is 60% white and after calculating the reading black/white gap, the rest of the gap is split evenly between math and writing). It would be better to see the real data. But here’s what I get with those assumptions and I welcome checks of my math because I did it without a calculator.
- DHS estimated mean scores for black students: 441 reading, estimated 414 math, estimated 410 writing, out of 800 per subject. Estimated composite = 1265
- DHS estimated mean scores for white students: estimated 566 reading, estimated 562 math, estimated 558 writing, out of 800. Estimated composite = 1686
For reference, to apply to Georgia Tech, I guestimate that you want an SAT score of at least 590-690 for reading and writing and a math score of 650-740. For Clemson, you want a reading score of 550-650 and math score of 600-700. For University of Georgia, you want all of your scores at least between 560 and 660. For Georgia State, you want your scores between 500 and 600. For Gordon College in Barnesville, math and reading scores can be between 390 and 490.
If my estimates are anywhere near the ballpark, I stand corrected and am sad. My anecdotal experience does not match these data. The black/white gap in Decatur seems huge and college-changing, although I’m glad it’s decreasing. I blame no one, not IQs, not parents, not DHS, but seek to understand. SAT scores do not = character, grit, persistence, honesty, compassion, as noted in the NY Times article in the other thread. Strangely, the table of school-specific SAT scores has at least temporarily disappeared off the Georgia DOE website–were others also critical of its formatting? But my memory is that Alpharetta High School’s mean math score was 570 so DHS white students score similarly to Alpharetta H.S. students as a whole. My guess is that white Alpharetta H.S. students have a mean math score of over 600.
GA DOE school-specific table is back up on website: Alpharetta High School’s scores are 548 reading, 570 math, and 561 writing, for all students, all race/ethnicity. The student population is 17% black and 8% Hispanic, 12% on free/reduced lunch.
And DOE took the confusing columns out of their spreadsheet. Someone was thinking like I was.