Gilroy
– California’s Class of 2004 slightly improved their SAT scores
over those of last year’s graduates, with minority students making
some additional gains.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – California’s Class of 2004 slightly improved their SAT scores over those of last year’s graduates, with minority students making some additional gains.
The state’s college-bound seniors scored an average 1020 on the SAT this year, up three points over last year, but still scored six points below the national average score.
Verbal scores improved two points to 496, while math scores improved one point, to 519. A perfect score for each section is 800, so an aggregate perfect score is 1,600.
“I am pleased that the California students who are taking these tests continue to do better,” said Jack O’Connell, state superintendent of public instruction. “Now we need to focus on raising the sights for all our high school students, so that every student will have the option of pursuing a college path.
Scores for Gilroy High School students were not immediately available Wednesday. The California Department of Education said it would have district reports in October, and GHS officials were unavailable.
Last year, Gilroy High students scored an average of 486 on the verbal SAT and 493 on the math, for a total score of 979, well below both the national and state averages. That was a 19-point gain over the previous year.
If Gilroy minority students also follow the state and national trends reported by the College Board, which owns the SAT, scores could improve this year.
More African American, Mexican American, Indian and Asian American students took the SAT this year, and they improved their scores.
Mexican American and other Hispanic students are the fastest-growing groups of SAT-takers, according to the College Board.
Verbal scores for Mexican American students rose three points last year and math scores rose one point. Other Hispanic students improved their verbal scores by four points, and math scores by one point.
This is the last set of SAT scores before students take a longer, revamped test next spring.
The new exam, which will be first used in March for members of the Class of 2006, will no longer include analogies and will have an additional 800-point section on writing, making a perfect score 2,400.
