More students took the test last year, FCPS says.
Frederick, Md (KM) Frederick County public school students continue to outshine the state and the nation when it comes to SAT scores. School System officials say students who took the test in 2018 scored higher in evidence-based reading and writing, where the combined score from all high schools was 529 which is higher than the state average of 526, and the national average of 524. . In Math, it was also 529, which exceeds the state average of 515, and the national average of 515.
But the scores for the class of 2019 are down slightly from last year where in evidence-based reading and writing it was 573, and in math, it was 576. .
Deborah Gilmartin, the FCPS State Assessment and Accountability Supervisor, says 95% of the class of 2019 took the SAT last year, which is an increase from 64% a year earlier. “While the scores did decease a little bit, that is something that is expected when our participation rate climbs significantly. But we are still very pleased to see our results because they are still outpacing the nation and the state,” she says.
The class of 2019 took the test the previous year. But Gilmartin says last year, the School System administered the SAT on a school day to get more students to participate. “We actually implemented that school day administration back in the spring of 2018. We did that for juniors. So we offer a free SAT administration for all 11th grade students once they hit the 11th grade,” she says.
The SAT is used by many colleges and universities to determine which students will be admitted. “The SAT now is also a measure for college and career readiness for the state of Maryland,” says Gilmartin. “Not only can students use it to gain access to secondary education, but they are also meeting the Maryland’s requirements for CCR readiness.”
“I am excited to learn our successful efforts to increase student participation in SAT testing resulted in test scores that continue to exceed both state and national averages,” said Dr. Theresa Alban, Superintendent of Frederick County Public Schools.
By Kevin McManus