Hawaii college students score below average
By Loren Moreno
Advertiser Staff Writer
College-bound Hawai'i students made modest gains in SAT scores this year, but continue to trail the national average as well as Hawai'i scores from five years ago.
Hawai'i's combined scores for public, religious and independent schools improved in critical reading and writing from 2006 to 2007, but slipped in the math portion of the college-entrance exam. The national averages dipped in all three SAT subject areas, but were still substantially ahead of those in Hawai'i.
Last year, declining scores across the country were blamed on an expanded test, which, for the first time, included a writing portion. The second year of declining scores is renewing debate across the country about the college-entrance exam.
"The test was retooled in a way that it has to have some effect," said Greg Knudsen, spokesman for the state Department of Education.
The SAT combined average scores for Hawai'i this year were:
Scores of Hawai'i's public school students declined in all three subject areas, although the decline in reading and writing was not as steep as for public school students nationally.
"Focusing on the public school side of the scores, it does need to improve," Knudsen said.
College Board SAT results, as well as results from the ACT, a separate college entrance exam, are generally used by colleges and universities to evaluate applicants.
For example, at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, applicants are generally required to have at least a score of 510 on both math and reading comprehension. The university now requires a score of 510 on the new writing section as well.
Knudsen pointed out that last year the DOE began offering Preliminary SAT tests — essentially a practice SAT test — at no cost to all public school sophomores in an effort to increase scores. This year the DOE has expanded the offering of the PSAT to juniors as well.
"The data shows that those who take the PSAT do far better when they do take the SAT," Knudsen said.
However, because the state only began offering the free PSAT last year, it would take until at least next year to see the effects, Knudsen said. That's because students generally take the PSAT as sophomores and won't take their actual SAT until their junior or senior year.
"We're hopeful that next year's results might start showing some improvement, and continually, if we are able to keep going with this program," Knudsen said.
Last year, 4,507 sophomores took advantage of the free PSAT. That's double the amount of students who took the PSAT a year before, when students were required to pay a fee.
The College Board, the nonprofit group that owns the test, insisted yesterday that the declines were within normal historical fluctuations.
College Board officials also attributed the decline in scores to a more diverse pool of students taking the exam this year.
For example, 24 percent of test-takers had a first language other than English, up from 17 percent a decade ago. Moreover, 35 percent of test-takers would be the first in their families to go to college.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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