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Wednesday, August 27, 1997

SAT scores up in math, down in verbal

By PEGGY FIKAC / Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) -- Texas scores on the SAT college-entrance exam inched up in math but dipped slightly on the verbal section this year, tracking earlier results on another major test accepted by universities.

Gov. George W. Bush said scores released Tuesday for the SAT -- following similar results revealed for the ACT college-entrance exam -- show the need for the statewide initiative he's pushing to ensure students can read on grade level by the end of third grade.

"Therein lies the thrust for excellence in reading," Bush said. "I am glad the math scores are going up, but the SAT scores are a signal that we've got to do a better job of teaching every child to read in the state."

Texas seniors' average score on the verbal portion of the SAT was 494 this year, compared with 495 last year. The average SAT math score in Texas went from 500 to 501, according to the College Board, which administers the test.

The overall math increase was due to women increasing their average score form 485 to 487, the College Board said. The decrease in the verbal score was linked to a fall in the average score earned by men from 498 to 496.

Nationally, the average SAT math score is up 3 points to 511, the highest level in 26 years, while the average verbal score is unchanged at 505. A perfect score on each section is 800.

The College Board discourages use of SAT scores to compare schools or states because of differing factors that affect scores, such as the percentage of students taking the test. In general, scores decline as more students take the test.

In Texas, 94,034 students took the SAT, an increase of more than 5 percent from the previous year and the biggest rise in a decade. It was the largest increase in test-takers of any state, according to the Texas Education Agency.

A total of 1.1 million students nationwide took the exam, the most widely used part of the College Board's Scholastic Assessment Tests. That's 42 percent of high school graduates. In Texas, 48 percent of this year's graduating class took the SAT.

"I'm pleased that so many more of this year's graduates took the SAT this year compared to last year because that shows that more of our students are seriously considering college as a viable option," Texas Education Commissioner Mike Moses said.

Among ethnic groups on the math section, Asian scores increased by two points to 566; black scores went down by two points to 422; Hispanic scores remained at 459; and Anglo scores went up two points to 525.

On the verbal section, Asian scores went down one point to 502; black scores dropped two points to 426; Hispanic scores decreased by one point to 452; and Anglo scores remained at 521.

On the ACT, results distributed earlier this month showed Texas students' average math score rose from 19.9 to 20.2 compared with last year; the average English score went down from 19.5 to 19.4; and the average reading score fell from 20.4 to 20.3.

Overall, out of a possible score of 36 on the ACT, Texas students scored an average composite of 20.2, the same as last year.

Also Tuesday, the College Board announced that the number of Texas students taking Advanced Placement examinations, which allow them to earn college credit, increased by 18 percent. The increase nationally was 7.9 percent.