ACT, SAT Scores Released for the Class of 2016
College Board Changing the SAT Exam Next Year
BALTIMORE – Maryland student scores on the ACT exam hit a new high for the class of 2016, while scores on the SAT exam fell slightly for that same class.
In data released today, Maryland SAT scores dipped slightly, dropping 2 points in critical reading to 490; 4 points in math to 490; and 4 points in writing to 476. Maryland student participation in the current version of the SAT also fell, as the College Board began testing a new version of the exam with students.
Meanwhile, Maryland participation and success in the ACT assessment continues to rise. More than a quarter of Maryland’s graduating seniors took the ACT last year, according to data released late last month—more than triple the number of students taking the exam in 2005.
Maryland student scores on the competing ACT exam continue to improve. Maryland’s composite ACT score hit 23.0, compared to 20.8 for the nation. Maryland’s composite score was 20.5 in 2005, compared to a national composite of 20.9.
SAT Results
Participation on the current SAT exam has dropped for the past two years, from nearly 50,000 students to 47,449, mirroring a trend found in other parts of the country.
Scores on the SAT assessments also have been on a modest decline for several years, both in Maryland and throughout the nation. The critical reading score dropped 3 points nationally (compared to 2 points in Maryland); while math dropped 4 points (4 in Maryland); and 5 points in writing (4 points in Maryland).
The national mean score for 2016 was 494, compared to 497 last year; math mean score was 508 compared to 512; and writing was 482 compared to 487.
College Board is shifting its attention to what it has dubbed the new SAT, which has a new design and officials say is better aligned to other exams offered by the organization, such as the PSAT. College Board also launched a partnership with the Kahn Academy last year to provide free online tutoring services.
More than 36,000 students took the new version of the SAT between March and June of this year, College Board officials said that this transition to the new test makes it difficult to compare this year’s results with previous years.
SAT results are scheduled to be released today at www.collegeboard.org.
ACT Results
While the SAT has been Maryland’s dominant college readiness exam for decades, the nation’s other major college readiness exam—the ACT—has been making dramatic gains in participation. At the same time, scores have risen.
Nearly 17,000 Maryland students (16,769) took the exam in 2015, compared to 15,753 last year and 13,334 in 2012. Numbers of test takers have been on the rise across all race categories.
According to the recently released data, Maryland’s ACT scores improved in every subject. English jumped from 22.3 in 2015 to 22.6 this year; mathematics improved from 22.5 to 22.7, reading increased from 23.2 to 23.6, and science moved from 22.5 to 22.8.
Maryland students rank ahead of the national averages in all four testing categories. National average scores are as follows: English, 20.1; mathematics, 20.6; reading, 21.3; and science, 20.8. All four scores fell for 2016.
ACT results are available on its website.