Nevadans’ SAT scores stay above U.S. average

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 | 11:31 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Nevada's college-bound seniors scored slightly better than the national average last year on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

The 4,883 12th graders statewide who took the college entrance exam scored an average 510 out of 800 on the verbal portion, compared with the national average of 505. They posted 517 out of 800 in math, compared with the national average of 514.

This was the fifth straight year Nevada scores have been above the national average in verbal skills and the third year in math.

The results, released today, come on the heels of last week's American College Tests, on which Nevada students bettered the national average. They scored an average 21.5 out of 36, compared with 21 nationally.

Only 34 percent of Nevada's Class of 2000 took the test, compared with 44 percent nationally. Nevada has one of the lowest rates in the nation of high school students going on to higher education -- about 37 percent.

The SAT math scores nationally rose 3 points from the previous year to the highest level since 1969. Verbal scores held steady for a fifth year.

The average SAT verbal scores for Nevada seniors were 2 points lower than the previous school year, but the state's scores in the past decade have reflected the steady rise nationally, Mary Peterson, state superintendent of public instruction, said.

In 1990 the average verbal score was 434, and for math, 487, she said.

"One of the answers as to why these scores are going up is that students are changing their course-taking habits," Peterson said. "We've had increases in the numbers of students who are taking the more rigorous courses like physics and algebra.

"Also a lot of the credit has to go to the parents who are supporting and helping the students at home."

The scores also showed more local students in the top tier. Nevada placed 163 students in the 700 to 800 range on the verbal test, an increase of 18 from last year. Another 226 scored 700 to 800 on math, an increase of 41.

But the scores also showed some inequities.

Male high school seniors in Nevada continued to outscore their female counterparts in verbal and math skills.

Male students averaged 514 on verbal compared with the female average of 507. They averaged 539 in math compared with girls at 499.

The boys have posted higher average scores in math for five straight years and for three consecutive years in the verbal test.

One reason for the trend, said David Smith, an educational consultant for the state Department of Education, is boys tend to take advanced math classes more often than girls.

"But in the past few years females have been gaining ground in math," he said.

Another area of concern, Peterson said, is the decline in scores among Hispanic students.

The 19 Puerto Ricans and 121 Hispanics other than Mexican-Americans showed the greatest declines. Their average verbal scores dropped 34 and 16 points respectively, and their average math score fell 64 and 12 points. Scores of Mexican-American students who took the test remained stable on the math portion but declined 9 points on the verbal.

"It is a surprising finding, since such a decline in Hispanic scores have not been seen in other educational tests in Nevada," Peterson said. "If the SAT performance decline continues, it will clearly be an issue that needs considerable focus by educators in the future." Peterson is leaving her job at the end of the year.

The 270 black students who took the examination improved their showing 6 points on the verbal portion, though the average 459 was still below the state average. On math, black students raised their average 12 points to 454.

The 482 Asian seniors posted 497 on the verbal, up 2 points from 1998-99, and 536 on the math, an increase of 4 points.

There were 3,026 whites who took the test, scoring an average of 520 on the verbal examination, 1 point lower than a year ago, and 524 on the math, the same as a year ago.

Reporter Jace Radke and the Associated Press contributed to this story.