Attention Mayor Bloomberg: Lower SAT Scores Don’t Equal ‘Success’
Mayor Bloomberg has consistently announced the success of his educational initiatives in the last four years. In fact, his claim for an unprecedented third term is based in part on the strides made by city students on reading and math tests. Chancellor Joel Klein has been praised and virtually beatified for his role in “turning around” the educational system. At one meeting after another the mayor has noted that the control he exercises over the city school system has paid dividends.
However, a recent report challenges the credibility of the mayor’s well-advertised claims. Despite an explosion in educational spending and a capitulation to the demands of the teachers’ union, city scores on the SAT spiraled downward for the fourth straight year.
Since the peak year of 2005, average scores on each 800-point section of the SAT have dropped by 13 points in reading and 18 points in math, declines more significant than the nation generally and far more significant than scores in contiguous states.
Authorities in the city contend that the decline in these scores is fueled by a substantial number of “low performing students taking the test.” However, this response begs the following questions. Why are students performing so poorly? And, as noteworthy, why are scores declining when city test results in math and reading have seemingly improved?
So Mr, London, if Nanny Bloomberg isn’t doing the job properly, what would you do to solve the problem?
I see a lot of complaining, but no actual solutions. Do you actually have any solutions, or is this just another issue for you to whine and complain?
When the curricula in New York City public schools matches that of the the private schools – Latin, geography, math requirements, and hard science (not Life Science) – the SAT scores may again rise.
Tristan Phillips
The article does not whine. It simply reports and asks some pointed questions. If you feel that something is missing, instead of complaining about it, why don’t you make some recommendations?
This is a good counterpoint to the endless amount of positive press Bloomberg has received about his progress on education and asks some good questions.
Here’s an actual solution: Vote Bloomberg out in November. It’s time for some change.
What good does it do for “so many more of our black and Hispanic students ” to take the SAT test if they are still unprepared for college level work?
There is NO getting around the fact that SAT scores are a fly in the ointment when it comes time to separate students who are qualified to be college bound and those who aren’t.
There are many apologists aggressively seeking to place the blame of a failing system on issues that have little relevance. Their oft repeated refrain is that minority students cannot afford SAT tutors and are thus at an unfair disadvantage. Hence, they can never match their white counterparts. Nonsense, and I can prove it.
I offered both my son’s review courses for the SAT, knowing full well that many of their friends were using these services. My sons both said no thanks, as they wanted to study on their own. For less than $ 25 they bought review books and practiced, practiced and practiced. Lo and behold they earned near perfect scores in the top 99 percentile.
Therefore, the excuse that minority students are playing on an unequal economic field is just that – an excuse. There is surely nothing stopping even the most disadvantaged students from buying a study guide at Barnes and Noble. Perhaps it might cut into their cell phone money or a new pair of sneakers that month, but if college is that important they will find a way.
Bloomberg should also man-up and admit that all is not well in NYC’s union co-opted educational system, a blight if there ever was one.
Perhaps he should advise the teachers to spend more time on the basics, instead of wasting their time on indoctrination and feel good lesson plans.
The proof of their failures can be found in plummeting SAT scores. For shame, after all the money thrown at a runaway system!
More students taking the SAT naturally results in lower overall scores.
That does not mean that the initiatives are failing.
Do people realize that most teachers that graduate from education programs are the least gifted people who receive degrees? Generally speaking ,they are the bottom of the barrel.
#7 More students taking the SAT naturally results in lower overall scores.
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That’s only true if those additional test takers don’t have the knowlege required to maintain the average.
Adina – your one example of your sons’success is interesting but it’s not proof that SAT prep courses don’t positively influence scores for some students.
I suggest providing free prep classes to a random sampling of minority students and seeing what happens.
Prep test?????
Haven’t students been prepping for 13 years?
The SAT is a gage of not only the student but also the system and how educators are doing teaching our children. We have to have systems in place that will allow us to see what averages are. Otherwise how else would we know if kids are ready and prepared for college?
Your SAT scores also have a value beyond helping to get into the right school.
Many employers require students to report their scores as part of their resumes. For many elite jobs, the cutoff lines are about the same as for the elite universities. A score of 700 in math and reading is mandatory.