Independent Schools and the SAT

In September 2015, when the College Board released its average SAT scores for the 2015 graduating class, two details stood out for many educators: (1) the record participation and diversity numbers (close to 1.7 million students took the test, with 50 percent being students of color); and (2) the test's lower average scores compared with previous years. This article examines trends in SAT scores across gender, race, and economic status. For independent schools, while the SAT results continue to bring good news about the schools' ability to prepare students academically for college, they are a reminder that there is still work to do to close the gap in student success based on race, income, and gender. At the same time, independent schools understand the limits of standardized tests and continue to explore additional assessments that can capture a much broader picture of student development and growth in school.