A greater number of Florida high schoolers are taking the SAT, but a new report from College Board shows many are still not ready for post-secondary education by the time they head to college.
According to College Board, the reality for Florida students is that most aren’t ready for university-level learning -- only around 36 percent of students in the class of 2015 who took the SAT met college readiness benchmarks, a number several points lower than the national average of 42 percent.
College Board uses the SAT College and Career Readiness Benchmark to indicate a student’s preparedness to enter college or career-training programs. The benchmarks say more about high schoolers, too, indicating how ready they are to succeed (getting a B- or higher) in entry-level college courses.
Students who meet these SAT benchmarks are far more likely to enroll in a four-year college and graduate on time than students who don’t meet the benchmarks. In order to meet the College Board benchmark, students must score a 1550 (out of a possible 2400) on the test’s reading, math and writing sections.
More and more students are taking the SAT each year, with nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of Florida’s class of 2015 taking the test.
Florida didn’t meet the national average when it came to each section of the SAT. The statewide averages were 486 for the reading section, 480 in math and 468 in writing.
The national average for the class of 2015 was several points higher in each section -- 495 in reading, 511 in math and 484 in writing.
A higher number of students both in Florida and nationwide are taking the SAT each year, which isn’t necessarily a negative, but it does have some implications for score averages. Whenever the number of test takers grows, average scores typically tend to drop, as was the case this year.
Last year, nearly 37 percent of Florida’s students met college and career readiness benchmarks, a number which has decreased a percentage point over the last 12 months.
On top of the SAT and the ACT, College Board also offers “warmup” tests and courses to help prep students for college. The PSAT, which is usually given to high school sophomores and juniors, is usually used as a tool to determine whether students will be successful in Advanced Placement courses or be eligible for merit scholarships.
College Board found 50 percent of Florida’s 11th graders were “college ready” from their PSAT results.
2015’s results were the last batch for this specific style of SAT test, which is set to see some changes this year. Instead of focusing on memorization, the new SAT will be more honed in on critical thinking skills. Although not explicitly discussed, it’s widely understood the new test will be aligned to Common Core State Standards.
Still, College Board sees room for improvement nationwide.
"We know we absolutely must do better in the future," said Cynthia Schmeiser, the College Board's chief of assessment.
To see the full report, click here. To see Florida’s breakdown, click here.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
