The City Schools of Decatur sent out this press release late yesterday…
Decatur, GA (2012)- Recently-released Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores show Decatur High School seniors scoring above state and national averages.
The Decatur average SAT composite score (mathematics, critical reading and writing combined) increased by 52 points from 1518 to 1570. The state average SAT composite score increased from 1445 to 1452. The national average SAT composite score dropped from 1500 to 1498.
The Critical Reading section offers the highest scores of each of the three subtests. The 539 average (800 is a perfect score on this sub-test) is 51 points above the state and 43 points above the nation.
Increasing achievement and improving instruction in mathematics continues to be a priority in Decatur. Students’ math scores increased from 503 to 514 keeping pace with the nation and exceeding the state average.
Participation rates vary widely in Georgia high schools. Some schools have less than 40% of their students take the SAT. Decatur High boasted a 93% participation rate in 2012.
“For several years, the Decatur High School faculty and staff have worked to increase the number of students taking and succeeding on the SAT. I am proud that with our increasing number of test-takers that our students’ scores continue to rise,” said Decatur High School Principal Lauri McKain.
The composite score gap between Decatur black and white students closed by 22 points comparing 2011 to 2012. Black students made gains in critical reading and writing. Critical reading scores for black students increased from 441 to 446, and writing scores increased from 422 to 426. Decatur’s black students outperformed other black students in critical reading and writing at the state and national levels. Closing the achievement gap and encouraging all students to take rigorous coursework continues to be a strong focus for City Schools of Decatur.
“I am proud that we have made it a strategic plan priority to encourage as manystudents as possible to gain this type of test-taking experience,” shared Dr. Phyllis A. Edwards, Superintendent. “We want our students to be prepared to compete at national and international levels and be ready to enter into some form of post-secondary education.”
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. An International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in grades 11-12 is expected to launch in August 2013.
“We continue to be excited about the performance of all students in Decatur, particularly at Decatur High School,” said Dr. Edwards. “Our teachers and students work hard every day proving that City Schools of Decatur is reaching the goal of being one of the top ten community school districts in the nation.”
Congratulations to DHS students, faculty and administrators!
What makes this feat special is the high participation rate. Many schools cherry pick who can take the SAT’s therefore keeping their averages higher. A big thumbs up to DHS for not padding the results and still acheiving such wonderful results.
If every school system were to follow their example we would well be on our way to restoring the reputation of public education in the US.
Is there any info on where DHS lands in the state? I’d like to know how we compare to Georgia’s other top high schools.
One of the AJC articles (http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/georgias-sat-scores-up-but-still-below-national-av/nSKtF/ ) shows the top 10 in the state:
Rank / District / High School / Test-takers / Reading / Math / Writing / Total
1 Gwinnett / Gwinnett School of Mathematics Science and Technology / 103 / 639 / 680 / 622 / 1941
2 Fulton / Northview High School / 496 / 571 / 619 / 579 / 1769
3 Cobb / Walton High School / 628 / 580 / 597 / 566 / 1743
4 Fulton / Johns Creek High School / 408 / 563 / 595 / 571 / 1729
5 Richmond / John S Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School / 93 / 584 / 558 / 579 / 1721
6 Muscogee / Columbus High School / 333 / 564 / 577 / 563 / 1704
7 Fulton / Milton High School / 599 / 556 / 574 / 551 / 1681
8 Fulton / Roswell High School / 448 / 549 / 565 / 563 / 1677
9 Fulton / Chattahoochee High School / 360 / 549 / 576 / 549 / 1674
10 Fulton / Alpharetta High School / 484 / 543 / 565 / 552 / 1660
It would be interesting to see participation rate for other schools as well. 93% is very high- doubt many non- magnet schools have that high of a rate.
I am curious about that, too. (How typical of the AJC not to report it.) If participation is based on number of enrolled seniors, then based on enrollment data for 2011-12:
Alpharetta HS 83%, Chattahoochee HS 81%, Milton HS 99%, Northview HS 85%. The Fulton Co. online info indicates Johns Creek only had 181 seniors last year, so don’t know who all is included in the 408 test takers cited by AJC.
Can’t find (in the 2 min I’m willing to spend) senior class enrollment for Gwinnett HS, Columbus, Walton or the fine arts magnet school in Richmond County. Columbus HS is a liberal arts prep magnet school.
Forgot Roswell HS – 79%
Would love to see Decatur on that top 10 list so I can stop hearing about how much better the schools are in the burbs.
Very exciting that International Baccalaureate will be fully in place next year. It’s a fantastic and rigorous curriculum.
Great news. We will be sending our kids to CSD and will be involved parents. Hopefully we can help keep this trend going!!
From http://press.collegeboard.org/sat — “Comparing SAT Data:
“Aggregate SAT data must always be considered in the context of other conditions that affect the educational system. Useful comparisons of students’ performance are possible only if all students take the same test. It is not appropriate to rank or rate teachers, educational institutions, districts or states solely on the basis of aggregate scores derived from tests that are intended primarily as an individual measure.”
Ok, so is there any indication as to why the jump was so high? I love the fact that we are doing well and getting better, but significant 1-yr jumps without a good explanation give me pause. Very glad to see racial disparities closing. Keep up the good work.
Great job CSD!!!!
Without participation rates, the score comparisons across jurisdictions are useless. I know some districts had “college bound” or “college tract” and they were the ones who took the SAT and ACT.
I am so glad we live here.
I did not get the chance to comment earlier but congrats to all the staff at Decatur. It’s also good to read that Decatur people still value things like rising or falling SAT scores, who takes the test, us versus them, and how some schools manipulate the scores. SAT scores are one of several important measures of a school’s progress. The scores provide a solid measure of progress, especially if 93 % or more students are taking the test.
The same can not be said of the International Baccalaureate program (Sorry about my spelling of program. I guess I’m an ignorant old private school redneck!). Very few of our students will take the IB exams so there can’t be any comparison with other schools as with jthe SAT. So few American students take the IB exams that colleges basically ignore the scores. I have never met a former student or parent that told me that the IB education was important for college or any other post high school endeavor. My experience as a teacher was that most parents did not understand the program, students hated it, and teachers were frustrated as to how to implement the program with Georgia and national standards (“National Standards”- Another scary idea!). But the SAT is still something to either brag about or defame. Most people understand it (High Scores or Rising Scores=Smiley Face, Low Scores or Falling Scores=Look for private or charter schools). And I’m glad that DHS can brag about its scores. Keep up the good work!
Nice post Mr. B.
The SAT scores and high level participation is a thing to celebrate.
You are right that the parent population, at least the one I’m aware of, does not understand IB. Your words on IB remind me of what a friend / HS parent says: “IB — maximum school district effort for the absolute minimum student return.” Although I have heard that admissions officers love it, the national education writers I’ve come across echo its lack of value to colleges. What’s stressful as a parent is to see how much effort is being expended on it. After all, isn’t it fun to imagine which of the 2 or 3 kids in each class might eventually qualify for an IB diploma?
Is the SAT not a national standard test?
In a world of globalization is it so hard to imagine that our kids should be held to an international standard? What about kids who choose to be educated outside of the US?
I see a lot of good in the middle years IB curriculum (~6th-10th grades) at least theoretically. Rigor is good. An emphasis on a global perspective is good. A focus on integrated learning, reasoning vs. memory, all good.
That’s a completely different animal from the high school IB diploma program which I’m afraid is a lot of expensive fees, effort, retraining, for just a few students, maybe 10-20% at the most. The other 80%-90% will get some side benefits but not enough IMHO. Rigor is one thing; tracking is another. There’s a huge risk of elitism developing because only the best students and best teachers can handle the demands of an IB diploma program. Everyone else may get what’s left over. I thought the recent elimination of many advanced classes in DHS was to reduce tracking and its associated problems. An IB diploma program seems to reinstitute tracking, only even more rigidly, i.e. tracking on steroids. Increased rigor and opportunities for advanced students could be developed, and should be developed, without the fees and constraints of an IB diploma program.
I have yet to see the benefit(s) of IB grades, at any level. I suspect that’s because of how they are being implemented but that’s sort of my point. They are used inconsistently, not well understood by many students, teachers, and parents, perceived to be quite subjective rather than objective, and are converted poorly to conventional grades so high school students can have a GPA. My gut tells me that eventually they will be discarded as impractical except maybe for the 10%-20% of students in the IB diploma program.
I would rather that the resources going into an IB diploma program were put into something that would clearly and directly provide most DHS students with substantial benefit vs. a small percentage. For example, a more robust, stable, and effective math program that offered better instruction and opportunities to advanced students, more organized help to struggling students, and had less staff turnover with more expert teachers.