Page 88 - Annual Report of Achievement & Growth

SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test

Overview

The SAT is published by CollegeBoard and administered typically to juniors and seniors in high school. Many
colleges and universities require that applicants take the SAT as part of their admissions processes. The SAT is
a four hour test that measures the critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college. Subtests
are given in Math, Critical Reading, and Writing.

Each SAT subtest has a maximum score of 800 points; perfect scores on all three subtests result in a combined
score of 2400. The mean subtest score is set by College Board at or near 500 in the score scale of 200-800. For
a tested population of between 300 and 400 students (the size of Pine-Richland), scores with a mean point
difference of 5 or more are statistically significant.

To help prepare our students for the SAT, the district provide students with user accounts for Naviance, a
college and career planning software. This program includes SAT test taking tips and practice tests for
students. In addition, the district administers the PSAT, a preliminary SAT, to juniors. Some of our students
choose to take the PSAT as sophomores. While PDE does not include SAT scores as part of the SPP
calculation, it does include participation in the PSAT test.

In the spring of 2016 CollegeBoard changed the format of the SAT to include two subtests, not three. The
revised SAT has subtests in Math and Language Arts, not Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. Each subtest in
the revised SAT still received 800 points for a combined total of 1600 points. CollegeBoard will begin
reporting scores of the revised test in the spring of 2017. Next year’s Academic Achievement and Growth
Report will include district, state, and total group scores from the new test format.

In the pages that follow are SAT test results for the past five years for Math, Critical Reading, and Writing for
Pine-Richland School District, Pennsylvania and the Total Group. Total Group refers to all students both
nationally and internationally who took the SAT test. Also given is five years of participation data for Pine-
Richland School District. Finally, test results for the past five years for male and female student performance
are given for the district, state, and Total Group so that comparisons can be made.

Pine-Richland School District Page 84 SAT