Release of the 2010 average "ACT" test scores for area schools (Columbia: high schools, vs)

[mrpeatie]

Originally Posted by le roi

It represents the % of students who have any interest in going to college.

FWIW i agree with you. If you're going to pass this number off as an average, then make sure you average in a "0" for all the kids who didn't take it.

but, it is true that some states lean toward the SAT, not the ACT. There's nothing wrong per se with having a low percentage of ACT takers.

Absolutely wrong. In this part of the country the SAT is by far the preferred test. So why should a student applying to schools in Sc/NC/Ga or TN be taking a test that will not have a great dividend?

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by le roi

It represents the % of students who have any interest in going to college.

FWIW i agree with you. If you're going to pass this number off as an average, then make sure you average in a "0" for all the kids who didn't take it.

but, it is true that some states lean toward the SAT, not the ACT. There's nothing wrong per se with having a low percentage of ACT takers.

I tried and could not find any data on the number of SAT takers in SC.

Any help would be appreciated.

But that may be true (your quote as to college-bound) students for SC.

Not true for Wisconsin.

Also, ya might be interested in this tidbit:
South Carolina’s public schools ranks 48th in high school graduation rate : The Beaufort Tribune Newspaper, Beaufort SC Newspapers



"The State of South Carolina failed to report all of its graduation/dropout data to the United States Department of Education–the data which SREB researchers used for their analysis. Working with information they could obtain from South Carolina, SREB researchers noted the following troubling conclusions:

• While school officials in South Carolina self-reported a 2006 graduation rate of 74 percent, SREB researchers found the actual “Average Freshman Graduation Rate” (AFGR) to be 14 points lower (61 percent). South Carolina ranks 48th in AFGR, a measure of freshman who go on to receive full high school diplomas."

I used a local (SC) paper lest I be accused of promoting yankee propaganda.

SC educators have a history of telling lies to cover up how bad the schools are there.

Remember when they were found to be not, "Teaching to the test.", but 'Teaching the test itself."? (not sure if it was ACT or SAT) to get the numbers up.

[mrpeatie]

Originally Posted by Geechie North

Then why does such a small % take it in SC?

Why aren't the teachers there doing their jobs as far as preparing the students?

Huh? You do understand after having it pointes out by about 4 posters- 3 times a piece- that the ACT is not the more widely used test here????

And FWIW I would prefer my tax $ go towards teachers teaching actual subject matters and a cohesive curriculum rather than another round of tests. I've already started to notice some younger graduates who are great test takers (find an accreditation exam- they'll ace it) and have wonderful presentation skills (graphics/rendering/computer presentations/etc) but cannot be productive outside of that. Noone actually takes exams for a living- and its a scant few who have a job that is a majority presentations.

[OleTomCat]

Originally Posted by mrpeatie

Huh? You do understand after having it pointes out by about 4 posters- 3 times a piece- that the ACT is not the more widely used test here????

And FWIW I would prefer my tax $ go towards teachers teaching actual subject matters and a cohesive curriculum rather than another round of tests. I've already started to notice some younger graduates who are great test takers (find an accreditation exam- they'll ace it) and have wonderful presentation skills (graphics/rendering/computer presentations/etc) but cannot be productive outside of that. Noone actually takes exams for a living- and its a scant few who have a job that is a majority presentations.

This is so true........

How many students come out of school and can do absolutely nothing but take a test??????

I fully support tech schools and Vocational schools, it is so hard to find good electricians, plumbers/pipefitters, etc.....

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by USCJoe

The ACT scores quoted are only those of the students who graduated in 2010. Wando has approx. 3100 students so probably about 750 graduated. That would mean about 37% took the test, not less than 10%..

The article from SC says you are wrong as to say the only those kids who graduated iin 2010 took the ACT that year.

As to number taking the SAT vs ACT. I'm still looking.

[OleTomCat]

Here this is '07 data on SAT....

http://ed.sc.gov/topics/assessment/scores/sat/2007/documents/SATreport2007.pdf (broken link)

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by mrpeatie

Huh? You do understand after having it pointes out by about 4 posters- 3 times a piece- that the ACT is not the more widely used test here????

And FWIW I would prefer my tax $ go towards teachers teaching actual subject matters and a cohesive curriculum rather than another round of tests. .

I understand that is how it was. I'm still trying to find numbers from SC that would show how many kids took the SAT.

Maybe you know it.

I agree with you re: tests.

But if you remember a guy named Bush? His 'No Child Left Behind' scam is all about endless testing.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by OleTomCat

Here this is '07 data on SAT....

http://ed.sc.gov/topics/assessment/scores/sat/2007/documents/SATreport2007.pdf (broken link)

Thank you, Tom.

Although I am a bit confused:

It says 62% of seniors took the SAT in 2007, but then it totals that number from Seniors through Freshman.

And says nothing about kids who took it both Senior and Junior years, as to double counting.


And I know from experience (with my old fart generation, as well as nephews and nieces), that taking it more than once is SOP.

So, someone please help me out as to how to interpret the data.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by OleTomCat

This is so true........

How many students come out of school and can do absolutely nothing but take a test??????

I fully support tech schools and Vocational schools, it is so hard to find good electricians, plumbers/pipefitters, etc.....

Tom, Back in the day (60's-70's) the only way (via the ed system in Charleston Co.) to learn a trade was to get in trouble with the law.

Then you'd be kicked out of your local HS and sent down to Murray Vocational High on the peninsula- near the Horse Lot where we played soccer.

Of course nobody cared if you made it to Murray or not- no transport was provided, so many people's education just stopped then.

I hope that has changed.

But do tech schools in SC require the SAT or ACT?

Pretty standard requirement up here.

[le roi]

Originally Posted by mrpeatie

Absolutely wrong. In this part of the country the SAT is by far the preferred test. So why should a student applying to schools in Sc/NC/Ga or TN be taking a test that will not have a great dividend?

You should probably read my post correctly before declaring it "absolutely wrong."