Vol, 6, No. 25: September 4, 2007		Get SEAchange by email

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2. SAT scores solid, and AP growing

While many more Wisconsin students take the ACT as a college admissions test, the 2007 graduates who took the SAT during high school showed solid performance. Scores in Wisconsin averaged 83 points higher than national results on the college admission test, which is scored on a scale of 200 to 800.

In Wisconsin, 6 percent of 2007 graduates took the SAT; 70 percent took the ACT. Historically, students in Midwest states, including Wisconsin, take the ACT as a college admissions test rather than the SAT. Nationally about 48 percent of 2007 graduates took the SAT. Wisconsin's SAT-takers tend to be higher achieving and wealthier than the national cohort.

Additionally, preliminary data on the College Board's Advanced Placement program showed continued growth and strong achievement in Wisconsin. Advanced Placement exams test students' college level subject knowledge, generally related to Advanced Placement course work taken during high school. Preliminary data on the Advanced Placement (AP) program showed Wisconsin's participation increased 7.4 percent from last year. The state's passing rate of 68.2 percent is higher than this year's national passing rate of 59.3 percent.

"The growth in AP is a good trend, and increasing participation by students of color on AP exams reflects our efforts to close the achievement gap by ensuring access to rigorous course work regardless of where a student lives in the state," Burmaster said. "There's still work to be done. Our collaboration with business and industry, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and the American Diploma Project contribute to our efforts to increase the rigor and relevancy of our high school curriculum to ensure that our graduates are ready for the workplace and postsecondary education."

More information: http://dpi.wi.gov/eis/pdf/dpi2007_84.pdf

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Last updated on 9/4/2007