SAT scores flat in Indiana, nationwide

State calls upon students to take rigorous courses seriously, urges schools to ensure rigorous curriculum and instruction

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - SAT results released today revealed that scores for the high school class of 2008 remained relatively flat both nationally and in Indiana compared to a year ago. Indiana’s average score on the college entrance exam showed a one-point gain in math (508), a one-point drop in reading (496) and a two-point decrease in writing (481) for a combined score of 1485 (1487 in 2007). Nationally, average scores remained unchanged across the board in math (515), reading (502) and writing (494) for a combined score of 1511. 

“Students who take advantage of challenging courses and related preparation opportunities perform better on the SAT and in college,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Suellen Reed said. “Indiana has made this a priority by requiring our rigorous Core 40 curriculum for all students, paying PSAT fees for all 10th graders, providing students customized SAT study plans and offering workshops to help educators analyze their students’ test results.

“Now the challenge is two-fold: students must take these opportunities seriously, and schools must use test data in making improvements to their curriculum and instructional practices.”

Performance gap narrows

The recent SAT results disrupt Indiana’s long-running trend of steady progress on the test for more than two decades. Despite the current decline, Indiana has gained 32 points since 1990 and narrowed the performance gap with the nation from 29 points to 13 points over that period.

Indiana’s average SAT score continues to trail the national average, which is primarily attributed to a greater proportion of Hoosier students taking the SAT (62 percent) than the U.S. as a whole (45 percent). SAT participation rates vary greatly from state-to-state – ranging from a high of 87 percent to a low of 3 percent – with scores generally decreasing as testing populations increase. Indiana ranks 10th out of the 22 states that test over 50 percent of their students (combined math and reading).

In contrast to Indiana’s SAT participation rate, about 22 percent of Hoosier students take the ACT, the nation’s other prominent college entrance exam. Indiana students scored above the national average on the ACT for the 18th consecutive year in 2008.

Preparation makes the difference

Indiana seniors taking academic “core” courses scored higher on the SAT in 2008 than those taking “non-core” courses. Hoosier seniors taking “core” courses recorded SAT scores of 516 in math, 504 in reading and 489 in writing. Conversely, SAT scores for Indiana seniors who took “non- core” classes scored 472, 482 and 456 respectively. The “core” curriculum outlined by SAT – four years or more of study in English and three years or more in mathematics, science and social science – corresponds very closely with Indiana’s Core 40 curriculum.

Additionally, Indiana students who took both the SAT and the PSAT earned average scores of 545 in math, 533 in reading and 521 in writing. These students vastly outperformed their peers who did not take both exams: 463 in math, 455 in reading and 435 in writing.

“We cannot discount the role of student accountability in improving Indiana’s SAT scores,” Reed said. “Students are responsible for taking advantage of the opportunities available to them, and parents must provide the essential support at home that ensures students succeed.”

Better preparation through Core 40

The state’s Core 40 curriculum became a graduation requirement for all incoming high school freshmen beginning in fall 2007. To graduate with less than Core 40, the student, the student’s parent or guardian and the student’s counselor (or another staff member who assists students in course selection) must meet to discuss the student’s progress and review the student’s career and course plan. The legislation also made Core 40 a minimum college admission requirement for the state’s public four-year universities beginning in fall 2011. Additionally, students must complete the Core 40 track to be eligible for higher education awards and scholarships.

National studies have shown that completing a rigorous course of academic study in high school is the best preparation for college and workforce success. Since Core 40 was established in 1994, the number of Indiana students completing the curriculum has continued to increase. More than 70 percent of Indiana’s graduating students earned a Core 40 or Academic Honors Diploma last year.

More information on the 2008 SAT results is available online at www.doe.in.gov/SAT or www.collegeboard.com. Visit www.doe.in.gov/core40 to learn more about the state’s Core 40 curriculum and diploma requirements.

Source: Press Release