SAT scores down, participation up

California scores declined this year on the SAT test used by many colleges to screen applicants, according to a release from the state Department of Education.

But the pool of high school seniors taking the test grew — which may have accounted for the lower average scores. And for the first time, Latinos were the largest ethnic group taking the test in California.

Overall, nearly 70 percent of the students from public high schools in the Class of 2012 who took the test were minorities. Thirty-six percent were Latino, 29 percent were white, 22 percent were Asian and 7 percent were African American.

Nearly half of those who took the test said that English was not exclusively their first language.

The mean writing score decreased 3 points to 491 for the Class of 2012 compared to a year earlier; the mean critical reading scores dropped 3 points to 491, and the mean math score dropped 3 points to 510.

–Daniel Weintraub

X Close

Subscribe to Our Mailing List