Eastern Idaho's results for the new SAT - East Idaho News
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Eastern Idaho’s results for the new SAT

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IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Department of Education has released the results of this year’s SAT.

Around 17,000 students in Idaho participated in the test in more than 180 schools.

Students took the exam in April as part of Idaho’s fifth annual SAT Day, where high school juniors take the exam for free.

Idaho students are required to take a college placement exam, such as the SAT or ACT, to graduate high school. Idaho is one of a handful of states that offers the SAT for free.

The test costs the state more than $1 million to administer.

What’s on the test?

This year students were faced with the new version of the test, which was released in March. The main differences include no penalty for wrong answers and four choices instead of the previous five. The test is also scored differently, so results cannot be directly compared with the old test — however, the results can be compared available here.

The test scores students in math and evidenced-based reading and writing. Each student is then given a composite score of the two. The state-wide averages were 511 for writing and reading and 491 for math, with a composite score of 1,002.

Since all students are required to take the SAT, Idaho generally sees scores slightly lower than the national average.

“Typically the SAT is only taken by students who plan on enrolling in four-year universities—and even among that population some students take the SAT while others take the ACT,” said Scott Woolstenhulme, assistant superintendent of Bonneville Joint School District 93. “Nationally, about 65 percent of students take the SAT and only three other states have over 90% participation like Idaho. When we compare the scores of nearly 100 percent of our students against the scores of the top 65 percent of students across the country, our scores are naturally lower.”

The College Board, which developed the test, has established new benchmarks. Students who score a 480 in reading and writing and 530 in math are “college ready,” which is defined as the likelihood they will receive a C average in college. As a state, 62 percent of students who took the test made the writing threshold while 35 percent made the math threshold.

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Local school districts’ average scores

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The highest scoring district in Idaho was Salmon River Joint School District, with a composite score of 1,123. Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency Academy scored lowest with a score of 754.

Woolstenhulme said his district is proud of its results even in the math section of the test, though the district is always continuing to improve math and that as a district its goal is to see more students complete higher level math like algebra 2 and precalculus.

Madison School District 321 achieved 70 percent in reading and 49 percent in math, some of the highest scores in the state.

“Overall, I am pleased with the 2016 Madison 321 SAT results,” said Madison Superintendent Geoffrey Thomas. “However, educational attainment is viewed best via multiple measures and just not one test score. Thus, whether a single measure is high or low does not paint an entirely accurate portrait of the learning that is occurring as numerous other factors are involved.”

Highlights from some of the larger districts in Idaho include Boise with a composite score of 1,049, Idaho Falls with 1,022 and West Ada with a score of 1,045.

Local schools’ average scores

Individual schools were given their own average scores as well. The highest composite score for individual schools was achieved by Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy, which scored 1285 and the lowest score was American Falls (Alt.) Academy with a score of 717.

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Thomas attributed the results of test to “supportive parents, excellent teachers and instructional staff that help prepare students from day one.”

To learn more about education in Idaho visit the State Department of Education’s website.

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