SAT Math Scores Improve at 5 High School Districts

Students at five Ventura County high school districts averaged higher math scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test this year, but four districts reported a decline on the verbal portion of the test.

Of the five, only the Conejo Valley and Moorpark unified school districts improved their scores on both the math and verbal portions of the exam, according to test results released Thursday.

Math scores also rose at Simi Valley Unified, Oak Park Unified and Santa Paula Union school districts, while verbal scores in those districts declined.

Math scores in the Ventura Unified School District remained the same this year, averaging 510 points, while verbal scores dropped from 457 to 447. Each section of the multiple-choice exam is graded on a scale of 200 to 800 points.

Test scores were not available for Fillmore Unified, Ojai Unified or Oxnard Union High school districts.

Although expressing surprise at some of the scores, Ventura County high school officials said it is not fair to simply compare this year’s SAT results with last year’s scores.

They said differences in class size must be considered. They also point out that the average level of student ability varies from year to year.

“A one-year drop is not an indication of anything,” said Dennis Swindall, a college counselor at Ventura High School, where math scores plummeted 20 points this year and verbal scores fell 14 points. At Buena High, math scores increased 18 points, while verbal scores declined five points.

“A lot depends on your pool of test takers,” Swindall said. “One year you can have a real good crop of students take the test and the next year have a not-so-good crop.”

Arlene Miro, the Ventura district’s director of administrative services, said she also was not discouraged by this year’s test scores.

“We’re still above the state and national average,” she said, “so we feel good about that.”

Figures released by the College Board this week showed that the average math score in California was 484 this year, representing a two-point jump over the previous year. The average verbal score climbed one point to 416.

The national average math score was 476, up two points, and the average verbal score was 423, up one point.

Nationwide, more than 1 million high school students have taken the SAT in 1992. The test is used by colleges to help determine a student’s academic ability and to set entrance policies.

In the Santa Paula Union High School District, which traditionally has had some of the lowest test scores in the county, students improved 11 points on the math portion of the test, increasing average scores from 444 to 455. But verbal scores dropped 15 points, from 412 to 397.

Principal Robert Fisher of Santa Paula High said he was at a loss to explain the mixed results. He said the district has made changes in the curriculum and added that teachers have received extra instructional training.

“That surprised me,” Fisher said of the scores. “I’m going to have to talk with our English teachers and pull out the data to see what happened.”

Fisher said a larger number of students took the test this year, and this may have affected the results. He said 57 students took the test, compared to 32 last year.

“I think most everybody agrees that when you have more people take the test, you generally find that you will drop in scores,” he said. “Also, our school has such a small number taking the test that it only takes one person doing poorly to bring you down.”

But at Moorpark High School, where the number of students taking the SAT increased from 47 last year to 73 this year, scores rose for the third consecutive year. Math scores increased 10 points and verbal scores eight points in 1992.

School officials said that requiring more and tougher courses for graduation has helped improve SAT scores. They also said that the small size of the graduating class helps to better prepare students for college because teachers and counselors can give more attention to each student.

“We’re a growing school, and as we grow we have the opportunity to make changes,” said Andrea Mallen, a Moorpark High college counselor.

There is one other reason for the school’s success, according to Mallen.

“We’ve got great spirit at this school,” she said. “And it permeates. It’s just bouncing off the walls. Everybody feels good, so everybody wants to do good.”

Selected County SAT Scores

1990-91 1991-92 Math Verbal Math Verbal Conejo Valley Unified 531 455 532 461 Oak Park Unified 503 441 520 437 Ventura Unified 510 457 510 447 Simi Valley Unified 494 425 505 421 Moorpark Unified 488 424 498 432 Santa Paula Union 444 412 455 397 California 482 415 484 416 Nation 474 422 476 423

Source: School districts and College Board