California SAT scores up for high school class of 2009

SACRAMENTO - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued a statement on the results of the SAT for the California class of 2009.

"California is home to the most diverse student population in the nation, and I am pleased to see that the most diverse group of California's graduating seniors has taken a significant step in pursuing a college education by taking the SAT," O'Connell said. "Among California's 2009 college-bound seniors who took the SAT, 37 percent were minority students. Additionally, 47 percent of California's SAT takers will be the first in their families to go to college. This represents a tremendous achievement by our minority students, and it is a testament to the outstanding work being done in our schools by our dedicated teachers, staff, and administrators."

From a participation standpoint, California saw yet another year of increased participation with the percentage of public high school graduates who took the SAT this year at 49 percent, up from 48 percent in 2008. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10 of the 15 fastest growing jobs in the United States require some postsecondary education--a two- or four-year college degree or certificate training. That fact is not changed by the current economic situation.

"The downturn we've experienced in our economy has seen California's unemployment rate rise to a record high of 11.9 percent as we saw last week," O'Connell said. "With increased unemployment comes increased competition for jobs, so it is encouraging to see that more and more students continue to take the SAT. This means more students are strongly considering pursuing a college degree, which will significantly enhance their marketability in the workforce. Furthermore, if our students are to keep pace with the rapidly changing demands of the workforce - with the fastest growing jobs essentially requiring some type of postsecondary education - then it is vital that more young adults attend college."

In terms of performance, public school students scored 495 in critical reading, up one point from 2008; 493 on writing the same as last year; and 494 on mathematics, a 1-point decrease from 2008. California's students who took more demanding honors or Advanced Placement® courses tended to have higher SAT scores. For example, students who took English honors or AP courses scored 55 points higher in critical reading than the average of all students in California, and 56 points higher in writing. Similarly, students taking math honors or AP courses had an 86-point advantage compared to the average SAT mathematics scores for the state.

Additionally, those completing a core curriculum -- four or more years of English, three or more years of mathematics, three or more years of natural science, and three or more years of social science and history -- outscored their classmates who did not take a core curriculum. Comparisons of California's public school students who took core curricula with those who did not showed an average score difference of 54 points on the critical reading section, 62 points higher on the mathematics section and 57 points higher on the writing section of the SAT. Among all ethnic groups, Hispanic public school test takers have had the greatest percent increase in the past year, going from 46,956 test takers in 2008 to 49,498 in 2009.   

"Even with test scores generally improving, we still have a long way to go," O'Connell said. "The achievement gap continues to persist between students who are white or Asian and African American or Latino students. Similar to the ACT® results released last week, the SAT scores show too many students of color are falling behind academically. We have a moral, social, and economic obligation to ensure that all of our students are effectively prepared to meet the challenges of the hypercompetitive global economy."