|
SAT scores for Washington students rise to all-time high
Scores climb three points over 2004 results
OLYMPIA – Aug. 30, 2005– Washington’s most recent high school graduates can mark another accomplishment on their academic resumes: their math and verbal scores on the SAT are the highest this state’s public school students have ever achieved. The three-point gains in both verbal and math over last year bring scores up to 529 and 533, respectively.
Not only are the scores for the class of 2005 at an all-time high, but they continue to outpace the national averages in verbal and math as well. The public school national average for the verbal section is 505 (1-point gain over 2004) and math is 515 (2-point gain from last year).*
"Our students continue to amaze me," said Terry Bergeson, state superintendent of public instruction. "Year after year, they show us how much more they are learning and their ability to demonstrate that knowledge on a wide range of measures."
About 45 percent of Washington’s recent public school graduates – or 28,757 students – took the SAT at one time in their high school career, resulting in today’s score announcement. That figure grows to more than 55 percent when including private school students in the state. The SAT is one of two primary college readiness exams evaluated by colleges and universities in their admissions process.
Results Since the Class of 1999
|
Washington’s Public School Students’ SAT Results by Graduating Class - Overall |
|
Class of… |
Verbal |
Math |
Test Takers |
|
2005 |
529 |
533 |
28,757 |
|
2004 |
526 |
530 |
27,206 |
|
2003 |
527 |
531 |
27,416 |
|
2002 |
522 |
528 |
26,686 |
|
2001 |
523 |
526 |
26,304 |
|
2000 |
523 |
527 |
n/a |
|
1999 |
522 |
525 |
n/a |
The numbers of ethnically diverse college hopefuls in Washington who take the SAT continue to increase each year, although the largest group of test takers remains Caucasian.
| |
Washington Public Schools |
Nation’s Public Schools |
| |
Verbal |
Math |
Verbal |
Math |
|
Overall |
529 |
533 |
505 |
515 |
|
Native American |
506 |
503 |
487 |
492 |
|
Asian |
506 |
547 |
508 |
565 |
|
Black |
451 |
444 |
430 |
429 |
|
Hispanic |
479 |
480 |
453 |
462 |
|
White |
537 |
538 |
528 |
535 |
"As the disaggregated results show, even with our college-bound students, there continues to be an achievement gap," said Bergeson. "However, our ethnic minority kids in Washington are performing significantly above their peers in the nation – a fact of which we can be proud.
"These results represent our continuing challenge, but more than that, they are a cause for celebration and accolades for the hard work of students and their great teachers."
(*) NOTE: OSPI is only reporting public school results for Washington students in this news release. The public and private school scores for Washington are only one point higher in math and three points higher in verbal than public school-only results. Generally, the national scores reported by the College Board are inclusive of both private school and public school students’ scores. Upon request, they provide states SAT results differentiating between "all" students and public school students, which is what OSPI used to formulate this release.
|