SAT scores stay the same in Prince William area

By Amanda Stewart

Published: August 27, 2008

SAT scores in Prince William County and across the state remained relatively flat this year, compared with 2007 scores, according to data released Tuesday.

Prince William County students who took the college-entrance exam in the 2008-2009 school year had an average score of 501 in reading, 500 in math and 487 in writing.

County school officials said there was no statistically significant difference between this year’s scores and scores in the previous year.

Between 2007 and 2008, the Prince William County reading scores decreased from 502 to 501, math scores increased from 497 to 500 and writing scores remained at 487 for both years.

Prince William County’s mean scores remained slightly below average scores for Virginia and the nation in 2008, according to data released Tuesday by the College Board, which administers the SAT.

The 59,573 seniors who took the test in Virginia through March 2008 had an average score of 511 in reading, 512 in math and 499 in writing, according to the College Board. The national averages are 502 in reading, 515 in math and 494 in writing.

The statewide average scores were nearly unchanged from 2007 when Virginia seniors averaged 511 points on reading, 511 in math and 498 points in writing.

Manassas Park schools saw a big increase in their SAT scores this year, said Bruce McDade, associate superintendent for curriculum and technology.

The city’s average score is still below the state and national averages, but rose more than 30 points this year, he said.

“We’re very proud and happy with how we did on that,” he said.

Manassas Park students scored an average of 477 on reading, 498 in math and 477 in writing.

SAT scores have been a focus in Prince William County schools for the past two years, when the School Board began paying for tenth graders to take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), county school officials said in a news release Tuesday.

The school division also pays for 11th graders to take the PSAT.

The results of the School Board’s initiative will be seen this year, when members of the class of 2009, the first students to take the PSAT twice, at the School Board’s expense, take the SAT, school officials said.

“We are hopeful that the strong efforts we have made toward improvement will pay off in rising scores ... and we are proud of the progress made thus far,” said Pam Gauch, associate superintendent for Student Learning and Accountability, in a statement.

Tuesday county school officials also released ACT test scores for the school division.

Prince William County students scored an average of 21.7 on the ACT, a composite score that is higher than the national average, but 1/10 of a point below Virginia’s average, the news release said.