SAT scores decrease overall in DPS, state and nation, but up in 3 major ethnicities
DURHAM—The average score for seniors taking the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) fell four points each for the nation and the state and five points for Durham Public Schools seniors during the 2006-07 school year. Yet the three major ethnic groups in DPS showed gains in their average scores.
The average score for the senior class of 2007 in DPS was 983, five points below last year’s average of 988. DPS officials characterize the decline as a mixed blessing. Bolstered efforts by the DPS Office of Advanced Academics to encourage more students to take the SAT resulted in a 10 percent increase in the number of students taking the test this past year. When such an increase occurs, a decline in the average score is typical.
It also is important to note that when broken out by ethnicity, three major groups – African-American students, white students and Hispanic students – all reported gains.
There was an overall four-point decrease in average SAT scores in North Carolina, which reported an average 1004 compared to last year’s 1008. The average score for the United States also fell four points, from 1021 last year to 1017 this year.
Points of interest regarding 2007 SAT results include:
- An eight-point increase for DPS African-American students (858 this year, up from 850 last year). The average score for DPS African-American students was seven points higher than their counterparts across the state (851, down six points from last year’s 857). The national average for African-American students fell by one point (863 to 862).
- A five-point increase for DPS white students. With an average score of 1120 (up from last year’s 1115), DPS white students scored 65 points higher on average than their state counterparts (1055, down three points from last year’s 1058) and 59 points higher than their national counterparts (1061, down two points from last year’s 1063).
- A six-point gain for DPS Hispanic students, to 985 in 2007 from 979 last year. Hispanic students outscored their state and national counterparts by 19 and 65 points respectively. The state average score (966) decreased by one point while the national average (920) increased by one point.
- The top 10 percent of DPS students outscored their state and national counterparts. The average SAT score for the top 10 percent of DPS students taking the exam (1208) was 38 points higher than the top 10 percent of state scorers (1170) and 26 points higher than the top 10 percent of national scorers (1182).
- Average SAT scores above the state (1004) and national average (1017) for four DPS high schools: These schools include Durham School of the Arts (1074), Jordan (1060), Riverside 1027), and Middle College High School at Durham Technical Community College (1023).
- Increases in scores at three high schools: Riverside showed the highest jump of 31 points (from 996 to 1027). Hillside’s average score increased by 21 points (828 to 849), and DSA increased its score by one point (1073 to 1074).
Superintendent Carl Harris established the Office of Advanced Academics last year for the purpose of offering more challenging and rigorous courses to a higher number of students. Strategies for increasing participation also included more students taking the SAT, and that number jumped by 10 percent.
Additional strategies for continuing to increase academic rigor and SAT participation, and to increase the average SAT score include:
- Continued improvement and expansion of the district’s SAT preparation program, including establishing SAT preparation classes within the regular school day and the development of specific SAT strategies for each high school;
- Placing greater emphasis on use of College Board software and additional technology in preparing students to take the test;
- Maintaining high standards and challenging students in all academic classes, plus increasing writing and vocabulary exercises across the curriculum; and,
- Increasing enrollment in advanced math and Advanced Placement courses.
“While a first look at the average SAT score for Durham Public Schools indicates a decrease in the overall score, we are nonetheless very encouraged by the gains made when broken out by ethnicity, by the gains shown at individual high schools, and by our participation increases,” said Superintendent Carl Harris. “Our teachers, administrators and Central Services professionals will continue to work diligently to improve these scores and to improve overall student achievement.”
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