by PWCEducationReform
PWC Education Reform Blog

If there’s not any endgame, we’re in quicksand. We take one more step, and we’re still there, and there’s no way out – Richard Shelby

Several days ago PWCS issued a press release on the division’s SAT scores.  In it Tim Healey, associate superintendent for Student Learning and Accountability, was quoted as stating, “Overall, our SAT scores remain solid, indicating that our hard work is paying off”.

Apparently “solid” to Healey means unchanged, because the SAT scores achieved by PWCS’ graduating seniors have consistently lagged slightly behind or equal to state and national averages for years.     The only area where PWCS exceeds national averages is in Reading.  In every other subject tested PWCS students lag behind national averages and lag behind state averages in every area tested.

The SAT tests three subject areas – Reading, Writing, and Math.  Here are the SAT scores for graduating seniors in the class of 2010, 2011, and 2012 for the US, Virgina, PWCS, and area school divisions which have released their 2012 SAT scores.

Reading (2010 / 2011 / 2012)

• US      501 / 497 / 496
• VA      512 / 512 / 510
• PWC  509 / 502 / 503
  
• FFX   552 / 551 / 550
• LDN  535 / 536 / 531
• MPK 494 / 450 / 488

Writing (2010 / 2011 / 2012)

• US      492 / 489 / 488
• VA      497 / 495 / 495
• PWC  494 / 487 / 487
  
• FFX   543 / 540 / 542
• LDN  526 / 524 / 524
• MPK  487 / 456 / 489

Math (2010 / 2011 / 2012)

• US      516 / 514 / 514
• VA      512 / 509 / 512
• PWC  505 / 501 / 500
• FFX   569 / 563 / 567
• LDN  536 / 532 / 535
• MPK 499 / 466 / 505

The scores achieved by PWCS students are more than 160 points below Fairfax, 100 points below Loudoun, and roughly 20 points above Manassas Park.   Manassas and Stafford have not released their SAT scores as of noon today, but if history is any indicator, PWCS is probably about 20 points below Stafford and about equal to Manassas.  It has been that way for years.

So, if “solid” means unchanged, then it’s an appropriate word.  But, at least to me, “solid” implies something more than unchanged.  It implies both unchanged and strong.  Our children’s SAT scores, while unchanged over then past several years, are not strong.  As such, I’m not sure “solid” is the word I’d use to describe our students’ SAT scores.

In fact, when the goal PWCS has clearly set for our children is just average for the US and VA,  and we’re below US and VA averages in every area, I’d call that standing on quicksand.  Unfortunately, that sucking sound you hear is our children’s futures.

Every recovering alcoholic or drug addict knows that admitting you have a problem is the first step in fixing it.  PWCS has a problem. Our test scores for our top tier students – those who are college bound – shouldn’t be more than 100 points below Fairfax and Loudoun.  Our children clearly aren’t doing as well as they should.

Our ACT scores show it.  They have for years.

Our SAT scores show it.  They have for years.

Our SOL scores show it.  They have for years.

PWCS thinks that’s “solid”.

I think that’s unacceptable.

by PWCEducationReform
PWC Education Reform Blog