Published: August 26, 2008 10:14 pm      

Local SAT scores above average

Scores decline across state, but rise locally.

While SAT scores declined across most of Indiana, the Kokomo area’s Class of 2008 showed improvement on the test when compared to the Class of 2007.

Improvement ranged from 6 points at Eastern High School to 59 points at Maconaquah High School.

Western, Kokomo, Lewis Cass, North Miami, Taylor, Northwestern and Tipton also showed improvement in the test.

Tri-Central High School’s seniors had the greatest decline, scoring 129 points lower than the Class of 2007; however, nearly double the number of 2008 seniors took the test than in 2007.

Scores went down by 8 points at Peru High School.

Tri-Central Principal David Driggs said he is reviewing test scores from the last few years to see if there are areas of concern, with the drop in scores.

He said, though, with the small number of students at Tri-Central, numbers can easily be skewed by just a few students.

He said the Class of 2007 had one of the biggest improvements in the Kokomo area, but also one of the lowest percentages of the class taking the test. Of the Class of 2007, he said, 34 percent took the test, while 66 percent of 2008 seniors took the test.

“Consequently, we went down,” Driggs said.

He wants to look at individual scores of the top third of the 2008 class and compare those scores with the 2007 seniors to see how those scores compare.

According to the Indiana Department of Education, scores statewide and nationally remained relatively flat compared to the 2007 scores. Indiana’s average score on the college entrance exam showed a one-point gain in math, a one-point drop in reading and a two-point decrease in writing for a combined score of 1485. Nationally, average scores remained unchanged across the board in math, reading and writing for a combined score of 1511. 

Maconaquah Principal David Noonan was pleased by his seniors’ 59-point improvement, and credits more focus on SAT preparation for the better scores.

“We’ve tried to concentrate a little more on our SAT, running some prep sessions to try to give the kids the ability to understand what kinds of things come up on the test so they won’t be so nervous.”

Eastern Principal Lisa Smith was pleased with increased scores in reading and writing, and said she was not worried about a 15-point drop in the math scores. She said the Class of 2007 had exceptionally high scores in that area, making it difficult for the Class of 2008 to reach the same standard.

Eastern, Northwestern and Western’s combined scores were all above the state and national averages, while Taylor High School’s graduating class posted a combined score higher than the state average, as well as at the national average in math. Lewis Cass and Maconaquah seniors scored above the state and national average in math, while those at Maconaquah were at the state average in writing. Tipton’s seniors scored above the national average in reading.

Northwestern Principal Tim Edsell was proud his students were above the national average and that they improved by 25 points over the Class of 2007.

He also said Northwestern’s SAT math score was the sixth-highest in the state.

“We are very pleased, obviously, with increasing by 25 points. That’s not an easy thing to do. We are very proud of our kids and our teachers for the tremendous amount of commitment they have toward excellence in preparing our kids for college.”

At Western High School, Principal Rick Davis said the seniors’ 54-point improvement continues a two-year trend. He added that Western’s scores were 19th in math, 23rd in reading and 26th in writing statewide.

He attributes the improvement to “just the various things we’ve done in individual classrooms, trying to increase the rigor and relevance of what we’re doing. We’re just really proud of our students and teachers for these results.”

Taylor High School Principal Eric Hartman was pleased with pleased with his students improved scores in every category and scores above or near the national average.

“That’s huge, it reaffirms to the public we have sharp kids in this school, and we have outstanding educators. Where it says SAT scores are flat in Indiana, I don’t think that applies to Taylor High School. We showed improvement in all three categories and we’re above the state average in everything.”

David Barnes, Kokomo-Center Schools public relations consultant, said school officials are proud of the improvement.

“We’d like to think part of the improvement is, the people who are going to college are starting to take [the test] more seriously and they’re taking more advanced classes. The good scores were from those children who take advanced classes. Those are the ones seeing improvement.”

According to the Associated Press, state scores on the SAT had been steadily increasing for several years until the class of 2006 took the redesigned test, which included higher-level math questions and eliminated analogies.

The College Board, which owns the exam, noted Tuesday that a record number of students — more than 1.5 million — took the test. The growing and more diverse class of test-takers is considered a sign more people are interested in college, said Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board.

But more test takers can also weigh down average scores.

About 62 percent of Indiana students take the SAT, compared with less than 50 percent of students nationwide. So it makes sense, education officials say, that Indiana’s combined score continues to lag behind the national average of 1,511.

Only about 20 percent of Indiana high school graduates take the ACT, compared to more than 40 percent nationally, and state scores on that test are consistently higher than national averages, the AP reported.