Tuesday, August 27

Fairfax County Public Schools Releases Senior SAT Scores for Class of 2002

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Daniel A. Domenech has released the average Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for FCPS seniors in the class of 2002 who took the tests.  According to figures compiled by the College Board, which administers the SAT, FCPS students scored much higher on the mathematics section than students across the nation and in Virginia, with an average score of 556, compared to 516 nationwide and 506 statewide.  On the verbal section of the SAT, FCPS students also scored significantly higher than students in the nation and in Virginia with an average score of 540, compared to 504 nationwide and 510 statewide.

Commenting on the scores, Domenech said, “Fairfax County students continue to improve their SAT scores and to score higher than their counterparts in the state and nation. An average score of 1096 systemwide shows steady improvement on the part of our students.”

FCPS has also released a set of SAT data separate from that reported by the College Board.  The FCPS-compiled data are based on more accurately analyzed FCPS results and show an average verbal score of 550 and a math score of 566 systemwide.  The FCPS method uses the test scores of students in the senior class in June 2002 based on the FCPS student information system and ethnic designations taken from school registration records. College Board data include the scores of all students who take the SAT tests at Fairfax County high schools, including students from other jurisdictions and students who are home schooled.

The FCPS score report excludes non-FCPS students as well as students who were tested while enrolled in FCPS but who moved or may have been retained and were not part of the senior class.

Also, the ethnic categories of the students in table 4 are determined by their designations in the FCPS student information system rather than the self-reported designations from the College Board, which tend to underestimate the true minority count.  If a student was tested more than once, FCPS uses the highest score–which is the score routinely considered by colleges in the acceptance process.   This reporting practice provides a more accurate analysis of how FCPS students are performing and of the effectiveness of systemwide SAT initiatives. 

Most school systems report average SAT scores using College Board-reported data. 

Following are highlights of the SAT results for FCPS, using College Board-reported data: 

·When compared with 2001 scores, the FCPS average verbal score remained the same, and the math score increased three points.  National averages mirrored the change in FCPS–the average verbal score decreased two points, and the math score increased two points.  In Virginia, the verbal score remained the same and the mathematics score increased five points.  (See table 1.)

·Verbal and math scores for all FCPS ethnic groups met or exceeded all national and state averages for ethnic groups.  (See table 3.) FCPS Asian students’ scores exceeded national Asian students’ scores by 15 points on the verbal section and 9 points on the math section. (See table 3.)

·FCPS Black students’ scores exceeded national Black students’ scores by 34 points on the verbal section and 38 points on the math section (See table 3.)

·FCPS Hispanic students’ scores exceeded national Hispanic students’ scores by 38 points on the verbal section and 33 points on the math section. 
(See table 3.)

·FCPS White students’ scores exceeded national White students’ scores by 38 points on the verbal section and 38 points on the math section. (See table 3.)

Table 1 contains the SAT scores, as reported by the College Board, which uses the scores of every student who took the SATs and who identified him- or herself as a member of the graduating class of 2002 at the time of testing.  Table 2 contains the SAT scores as interpreted by FCPS.  Table 3 contains the average scores, by ethnic categories, as reported by the College Board.  Table 4 contains the average scores, by ethnic categories, as reported by FCPS.

See Tables 1-4

Description of the SAT and Cautions in Interpreting School Results

Table 1:  SAT Average Scores for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, and the Nation, 2000 Through 2002, as Reported by the College Board

Table 2:  SAT Average Scores for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, and the Nation, 2000 Through 2002, as Reported by Fairfax County Public Schools

Table 3:  SAT Average Scores for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, and the Nation by Ethnicity, 2000 Through 2002, as Reported by the College Board

Table 4:  SAT Average Scores for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, and the Nation by Ethnicity, 2000 Through 2002, as Reported by Fairfax County Public Schools

Cautions in Interpreting School Test Results
Readers are cautioned not to rely too heavily upon test scores as measures of instructional quality and not to use test scores exclusively to compare schools, areas, or school systems.  Any interpretation of SAT results should take into account the following:

1. The SAT does not attempt to assess any specific local high school curriculum or a more general “national curriculum.”

2. The multiple-choice format limits the type of questions that can be asked and the skills that can be covered.  For instance, students are not asked to write a sentence or a paragraph. This test does not assess listening or oral communication skills nor does it attempt to measure such work-related attributes as responsibility, initiative, and creativity.

3. Each year’s average score for a school represents the results for a completely different group of students.

4. The average scores of students in smaller high schools will tend to vary more from year to year than the average scores of students from larger schools.

5. Average scores for schools do not give information about how many students scored at a high level or a low level.  In each school, many students may score at a high level and many others may score at a low level.

6. Since all students in a school, school system, or state do not take the SAT, and since the population of test takers is self-selected, using aggregate SAT scores to compare or evaluate teachers, schools, systems, states, or other educational units is not valid, and the College Board strongly discourages such use.

Adapted from A Profile of SAT Program Test Takers by the College Board

TABLE 1

SAT

Average Scores

for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, and the Nation

2000 Through 2002

AS REPORTED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD

TABLE 2

SAT

Average Scores

for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, and the Nation

2000 Through 2002

AS REPORTED BY FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS*

* Averages for Virginia and the nation are as reported by the College Board.

 

TABLE 3

SAT

Average Scores

for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, and the Nation

by Ethnicity

2000 Through 2002

AS REPORTED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD