This September the College Board released senior SAT scores from the 2011-2012 school year, and while scores continued to fall both nationally and in the D.C. Metropolitan area, Montgomery County has repeatedly seen increases in student scores, this year arriving at a record point total, according to the Washington Examiner.
Although MoCo scores in 2012 were generally stagnant compared to 2011, scores overall have seen a steady climb, resulting last year in overall averages around 200 points greater than the 1498 national average.
But while SAT scores continue to climb, “the gap” between socioeconomic groups continues to gape.
Within Montgomery County, average scores from the graduating senior class varied from Wheaton High School’s 1344 to Walt Whitman High School’s 1857. In that light, a disturbing correlation between income and SAT scores which marks this 25 percent gap comes into focus. Looking at the Wheaton area (Wheaton-Glenmont), one can find a neighborhood much less well-off than Bethesda’s Walt Whitman HS, yielding an average familial annual salary of around $61,829–half of Bethesda’s $129,440.
These SAT scores have reflected this same divide for years prior.
WJ remains at the top of this gap, scoring around 100 points below Whitman and ranking sixth countywide. With a 1744, WJ rests comfortably above county, state and national averages.
However, according to head counselor Dennis Reynolds, when breaking down the scores, WJ still has ground to cover. Even though each year student participation in the SAT continues to increase, the racial gap–another divide imminent in SAT scores–still looms imminent among WJ test-takers.
“That’s where our work needs to be done,”said Reynolds of the racial divide.
Hispanic and African American scores, while nationally competitive, aren’t up to par with WJ’s overall above-national average marks. African Americans scored an average 1467, while Latinos on average scored 1589. But while WJ participation continues to increase, the split isn’t getting any smaller. Reynolds added that counselors are trying to keep in touch with minority students in order to mitigate the difference, but so far, no clear progress has been made.
“Even though they’re moving in the right direction, when you have one group that’s performing almost 100 points below our school average and another group is 150, almost 200 points below our average, you know, that’s what we need to be focusing on, as a school and as a group,” said Reynolds.
Out of the three Montgomery County schools which had increased participation and scoring for African American and Latino groups, WJ was not one of them.
On the other hand, regardless of both the gaps in income and race, MCPS retains scoring averages that remain within healthy ranges. As previosly mentioned, score averages this year topped those of last year by 14 points, establishing a county record. According to MCPS superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr, however, changes still need to be made.
“We must recognize that there are persistent gaps that must be addressed if we are going to fulfill our promise of equity and excellence,” he said in a MCPS press release.
Similarly, in a memo to the school board stipulated in the Washington Examiner, Starr said, “I am proud that our students overall have reached such a significant SAT milestone,” but cautioned against complacency, adding that, “At the same time, we will continue to analyze this data so that we can improve.”