SAT scores in Massachusetts rise above national average

With a strong focus and attention given to the MCAS exams in Massachusetts, the state’s SAT scores quietly rose above the national average last year, according to results issued by the College Board Tuesday.According to the College Board the 61,295 graduating seniors who took the SAT exam last year scored an average of 525 on the math exam, up three points from the previous year; 514 on the reading exam, up one point; and 513 on the writing section, which is a two-point increase from the previous year.Math scores were 10 points above the national average of 515, while reading and writing scores also topped the national averages of 502 and 494 respectively.National scores remained steady last year despite an increase of over 1.5 million test takers, nearly 8 percent higher than 2006-07.Each portion of the SAT exam is scored between 200 and 800, with the latter counting as a perfect score.Male students proved to be superior to female students in Massachusetts in both math and reading, but failed to win the gender war on the writing portion of the test.Male students scored an average of 504 on reading compared to 500 for female students, and 533 on math compared to just 500 for females. Writing scores for females were 13 percentage points higher than male, 501-488.Male students had a higher overall average score of 1037, compared to an even 1000 for female students.Ethnically, Asian students came across with the best average total score of 1099, followed by white students who scored 1066, Hispanics at 892 and African American students who scored 859.The findings are based on test scores for the 2007-2008 school year and factored only each student’s latest scores. In Massachusetts 75 percent of students who took the SAT went on to enroll in college, and 65 percent of those students remained in the state.Private schools turned in a better average overall score in 2007-08, topping public schools 1191-1027.According to the College Board 2007-08 was the most diverse school year to date, with huge increases in Hispanic, African American and Asian students taking the exam.Minority students were also on the rise last year, up from 33 percent 10 years ago to 40 percent.Despite state standardized testing becoming the norm due in part to the No Child Left Behind Act, the SAT has remained the gauge for colleges and universities across the country when reviewing potential applicants.Local high schools, including Lynn English have made a concerted effort to offer SAT prep for students, even providing a free summer course last month to make sure seniors will score well on the test.”Student interest and participation in the SAT has grown to historic levels, and our outreach into minority, low-income and other underserved student groups is yielding tremendous results,” said Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board. “More than ever, the SAT reflects the face of education in this country. It’s essential that all students strive to attend college – and then succeed in their classes and, ultimately, graduate. We’re gratified to see that our country is moving increasingly toward being a nation of college graduates.”