Scores on the 2008 SAT college entrance exam declined for the third straight year in Montgomery County schools, while students in Fairfax County saw a slight gain.
Montgomery students averaged 1,616 points on the 2,400-point, three-section test administered by the College Board, down 18 points from 2006. Fairfax students outdid their cross-Potomac counterparts with an average score of 1,654, up 15 points from 2007.
Both districts outperformed their respective states. The average Maryland student scored 1,498, while the Virginia average was 1,525.
Nationwide, the average score remained at 1,511 even as the percentage of minority participants increased and fee waivers for low-income students reached a record high of 15 percent of the 1.5 million test takers.
In Montgomery County, where rapid demographic changes and a tight county budget are straining the district’s resources, Tuesday’s results came as a blow.
“We continue to encourage increased participation among students of all backgrounds,” said a memo to the school board from Superintendent Jerry Weast. “However, until all students have the same level of preparation going into the exam, scores may decline. That is what we experienced this year.”
A higher number of black, Hispanic and low-income students in Montgomery County took the test than in 2006. The number of white and Asian test takers fell slightly, reflecting enrollment changes that are expected to become more pronounced in coming years.
Fairfax County officials did not release participation data.
As the number of Montgomery test-takers changed, the achievement gap the county has worked to close actually widened. White students scored an average of 1,740, which is 339 points higher than Hispanics and 404 points higher than blacks, up from 325 and 375 points, respectively, in 2006.
Montgomery officials used the disappointing results as an opportunity to champion an alternative college entrance exam, the ACT.
“We’re encouraging students to take the ACT because it does reflect the coursework more closely,” said Judy Docca, a Montgomery County school board member and former principal.
Like Docca, many schools officials in Montgomery and Fairfax believe the ACT’s five-part test more accurately tests a student’s knowledge in a broader array of subjects.
