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Did the
98 Point Drop in SAT Scores Indicate A Decrease in US Education
Quality?
Ignoring that someone taking today's SAT would score 36 points
higher than that person taking the 1960 test, ignoring that most
of the increase in the percent of test-takers who are minorities
are also females, and using a liberal estimate of the increase in
the percent of minority and female test-takers since 1960, the
actual decrease in SAT scores since 1960 is 16 times greater than
the increase in the percent of lower scoring test-takers predicts
that it should have been.
 | What other factors do you believe are at work in
this chronic 98 point decrease in SAT scores that should
have been less than 6 points? |
| Where do you believe the US would rank today on
TIMSS had it not been for this 98 point drop in SAT
scores? |
| If you read the Sandia "study"
regarding this drop in SAT scores, what is your opinion
of its veracity? |
| In your opinion, what impact on SAT scores does
the 76 point drop in TIMSS scores between 8th grade and
12th grade US students have? |
| What do you believe can be done to correct it? |
CALCULATIONS:
- DTAB127.TXT
shows that SAT Scores in the US decreased 98 points since
1960, not including the fact that someone taking the SAT
test today would score 26 points higher today than he
would have in the 1960 test, due solely to changes in the
test.
- This table also shows that the average difference in SAT
scores between males and females averaged 47 points and
was 3 points higher in 1993 than it was in 1968.
- dtab254.htm
shows that the percent of BS degrees which were awarded
to blacks, Hispanics, and Indians increased from 8.8% to
10.5%. Based solely on this table, a ROM (rough order of
magnitude) estimate of the increase in the percent of
minorities taking the SAT test since 1960 is 3%.
- dtab129.htm
shows that the percent of SAT test-takers who are females
increased from 50.5% in 1976 to 52.6% in 1993. Based
solely on this table, a ROM estimate of the increase in
the percent of females taking the SAT test since 1960 is
4%.
- This table also shows that the *number* of SAT
test-takers increased by only 4.5% between 1976 and
1993--less than population growth.
- satmfind.htm
shows that the weighted average score of blacks,
Hispanics, and Indians is 145 SAT points lower than the
average score of whites.
Based solely on these data points, and ignoring
related factors:
| A 4% increase in the percent of test-takers who are
females, based solely on the 47 point lower average
scores of females, would decrease SAT scores by 1.68
points. |
| A 3% increase in the percent of test-takers who are
minorities, based solely on the 145 point lower average
scores of minorities, would decrease SAT scores by 4.35
points. |
| Even ignoring that half of the minorities taking the test
are also females, the increase in the percent of both
females and minorities taking the SAT test explains only
6 points of the 98 point decrease in SAT scores since
1960--less than 7%. |
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