SAT math score declines could change Colorado graduation requirements

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Colorado subsequent month might decrease the passing rating on highschool math checks many college students use to satisfy commencement necessities, the newest potential fallout from take a look at scores that fell dramatically this yr.

With out such a change, it’s doable commencement charges might drop for the Class of 2025, Colorado Division of Training officers instructed the State Board of Training on Thursday.

To graduate from highschool in Colorado, college students should present proficiency in English and math. Utilizing SAT scores is the most typical method that districts provide college students to satisfy that requirement, for the reason that take a look at is already administered to college students of their junior yr; ninth and tenth graders take the PSAT. However officers couldn’t say what number of college students had been counting on the take a look at consequence to satisfy the commencement necessities this yr.

The proposed change the State Board is contemplating would decrease the minimal passing rating on the maths portion of the SAT from 500 to 480. With out that change, officers say the proportion of scholars who can use their SAT rating to satisfy commencement necessities will drop from 45% in 2023 to 39% with these outcomes. Meaning about 3,400 college students may be searching for a last-minute different to satisfy commencement necessities earlier than Might.

If the board agrees to decrease the passing rating to 480, it might imply 45.5% of scholars who took the take a look at might use the rating to satisfy their commencement necessities, roughly the identical as final yr.

State Board members began Thursday’s dialogue hesitant concerning the concept of reducing the bar for commencement, however in the end their feedback leaned in favor of the change. Training division employees are persevering with to collect extra information concerning the impression, and can ask the State Board to vote on the proposal subsequent month.

Joyce Zurkowski, the Colorado Division of Training’s chief evaluation officer, has been sharing issues concerning the SAT scores with the State Board for months as preliminary outcomes had been previewed by state college officers. Ultimate college and district degree outcomes had been simply launched Thursday.

In comparison with 2023, the proportion of scholars who met or exceeded expectations on math checks dropped for college students in grades Sept. 11. (Colorado doesn’t take a look at twelfth grade college students.) Scores fell throughout all pupil subgroups.

Amongst eleventh graders, the proportion assembly expectations dropped to 31.1% this yr from 35.2% in 2023, and it’s down from 39% in 2019. Within the studying and writing portion of the checks, some pupil subgroups’ scores improved; officers aren’t contemplating altering the required passing rating — 470 — for that portion of the take a look at.

Zurkowski has mentioned that whereas it’s doable a few of the drops in math scores mirror drops in studying and pupil skills, it’s seemingly that a few of the decline is because of modifications to the SAT, which went absolutely digital for the primary time final yr. It’s not doable to tell apart how a lot of the change in scores is because of every issue, she mentioned.

College students who had been in eleventh grade final spring and took the SAT for the primary time digitally may need been anticipating that their efficiency on the PSAT the earlier yr could be predictive of their scores on the SAT in eleventh.

“They had been, I’m going to recommend, stunned when that prediction didn’t work out the best way they had been anticipating it to work,” Zurkowski mentioned. “I’d encourage you to maintain that in thoughts”

Lisa Escarcega, a State Board member, mentioned the three,400 college students who might be compelled to search out an alternate technique to meet commencement necessities if the board doesn’t decrease the lower rating is a “important” quantity.

“It’s a lot bigger than I assumed,” Escarcega mentioned.

As a substitute of reaching sure SAT scores, college students can meet commencement necessities to point out mastery in math or English by incomes passing scores on sure concurrent enrollment courses, doing capstone initiatives, or incomes particular business certificates. There are additionally various different checks college students can take.

Not all districts provide all choices nevertheless, and state officers fear that some college students’ choices now might be restricted.

The state may contemplate taking extra time to work with the Colorado Fee on Larger Training and establishments of upper training to give you a brand new lower rating that represents the identical degree of proficiency as earlier lower scores. However officers mentioned which will take years.

Solely round a dozen different states use the SAT for all college students as an annual take a look at the best way Colorado does. However training division employees will share information subsequent month on how Colorado’s rating drops examine to these different states.

Colorado officers additionally spent the summer time evaluating whether or not the decrease highschool SAT scores could be legitimate to be used on this yr’s college and district rankings. The state in the end decided they are going to be used. The preliminary rankings will likely be out subsequent month.

Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado masking Ok-12 college districts and multilingual training. Contact Yesenia at [email protected].