Thursday, 4:30 PM
SAT scores dip for 2d straight year
By Tracy Jan, Globe Staff
MALDEN -- The SAT scores of the state's college-bound seniors have dipped for the second consecutive year, prompting the Massachusetts education commissioner today to call for giving more students access to practice exams.
Massachusetts high school graduates scored an average of 522 on the Math Exam, falling two points from 2006. They scored an average of 513 on the Reading Exam, equaling last year's score. The state average in writing was 511, an improvement of one point. Each section is worth 800 points.
Students who took the practice exam or PSAT as sophomores or younger scored an average of 516 on the Reading Exam, 528 on the math, and 514 on the writing. Students who did not take the PSAT scored an average of 473 on the Reading Exam, 481 on the math, and 462 on the writing.
"The PSAT is crucial because once they jump into that pool they typically keep going," Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll said today during the monthly state Board of Education meeting in Malden.
This year the number of students taking the PSAT in Massachusetts increased by 4.3 percent among juniors and 3.4 percent among sophomores, according to the Department of Education.
In Massachusetts, 85 percent of all high school seniors, including 82 percent of public high school seniors, took the SATs. Participation in the Bay State ranked third ranked in the country, far above the national average of 48 percent, which included 42 percent of public high school seniors.
To look at the average scores of specific schools or districts, click here.
