Portland Metro Area SAT Scores 2010, 2011 & 2012

 

School Dist.   High Schools	Class of 2010				Class of 2011				Class of 2012
	Read	Math	Write	% Tested	Read	Math	Write	% Tested	Read	Math	Write	% Tested
Beaverton School District
Aloha	518	528	503	27%	515	523	491	29%	509	524	496	32%
Arts & Comm.	586	520	542	59%	568	521	544	83%	587	548	549	76%
Beaverton	544	567	525	38%	539	550	521	45%	540	549	523	41%
Health &   Science					532	507	507	36%	476	499	483	24%
International School	644	628	600	58%	541	592	591	75%	624	608	596	>95%
Science & Tech	566	573	529	70%	510	633	576	74%	586	605	560	50%
Southridge	547	584	532	46%	536	579	526	44%	552	587	537	51%
Sunset	563	583	547	44%	546	577	534	50%	562	583	544	50%
Westview	562	583	542	45%	548	571	535	48%	567	581	549	44%
Canby and Centennial
Canby	516	532	492	33%	511	526	485	40%	509	533	489	41%
Centennial	493	490	469	33%	495	505	473	37%	486	489	462	41%
North Clackamas School District
Clackamas	520	535	503	47%	505	534	494	59%	522	549	503	57%
Milwaukie	478	484	446	30%	505	489	469	30%	499	491	472	44%
Putnam	515	523	481	30%	495	514	485	41%	516	527	484	48%
Web Academy									549	517	491	8%
David Douglas and Forest Grove
David Douglas	493	518	464	20%	477	509	451	27%	477	500	448	29%
Forest Grove	532	533	519	21%	520	522	489	19%	536	528	499	19%
Gresham-Barlow District
Gresham	502	502	461	29%	490	496	471	40%	491	501	466	29%
Sam Barlow	509	512	481	39%	504	507	480	57%	509	512	481	52%
Hillsboro School District
Century	492	497	459	43%	502	515	478	46%	507	516	481	48%
Glencoe	509	492	474	45%	500	492	477	50%	513	506	488	45%
Hillsboro	484	508	461	39%	505	516	471	40%	496	504	470	37%
Liberty	513	5	487	46%	483	487	480	47%	495	488	461	48%
Lake Oswego School District
Lake Oswego	584	598	571	79%	571	590	563	82%	587	594	574	79%
Lakeridge	587	590	570	68%	579	568	568	76%	565	573	561	71%
Oregon City, Parkrose, Reynolds, Riverdale, Sandy, and Sherwood
Oregon City	517	520	486	34%	496	517	475	43%	513	518	486	41%
Alliance Charter Oregon City									577	550	538	24%
Parkrose	494	456	468	33%	480	451	462	36%	442	446	438	36%
Reynolds	486	492	473	17%	484	489	465	24%	502	513	473	19%
Riverdale	593	568	570	73%	601	579	592	83%	554	562	548	75%
Sandy	508	517	481	24%	519	500	482	30%	518	508	483	36%
Sherwood	542	517	521	32%	538	535	513	35%	542	536	524	32%
Tigard-Tualatin School District
Tigard	548	546	520	42%	539	540	515	39%	547	551	530	37%
Tualatin	546	564	523	44%	539	564	523	39%	536	555	521	40%
West Linn and Wilsonville
West Linn	556	570	530	65%	560	567	537	72%	553	562	529	74%
Wilsonville	547	564	529	53%	531	552	523	62%	534	556	511	57%
Portland School District
Benson	446	469	428	52%	450	484	437	57%	460	475	454	34%
Cleveland	590	586	573	37%	587	564	569	47%	583	585	564	49%
Franklin	491	514	483	35%	505	500	485	32%	511	522	493	35%
Grant	566	552	556	53%	567	550	551	63%	565	549	557	65%
Jefferson	369	350	363	25%	391	383	380	36%	385	393	383	33%
Lincoln	581	578	564	70%	598	597	599	71%	591	589	584	73%
Madison	490	488	457	25%	478	481	446	33%	462	483	445	18%
Metro Learning Center	561	480	521	41%	588	543	556	50%	638	573	577	43%
Wilson	583	582	566	47%	568	570	561	48%	586	576	570	45%
Portland School District:  Marshall & Roosevelt Campuses
BizTech	414	485	412	20%	—	—	—	7%
Spanish-English International
Renaissance Arts Academy	454	461	442	36%	472	468	450	37%
Arts, Comm. & Technology	390	417	358	9%	—	—	—
Pursuit of  Wellness	416	400	389	18%	—	—	—
Portland School District:  Charter Schools
Leadership & Entrepreneurship Public Charter	460	423	544	32%	505	448	504	25%	489	474	460	15%
Trillium Public Charter									634	539	540	39%
Summary
Oregon	523	524	499	54%	520	521	499	56%	518	521	494	51%
Washington	524	532	508	54%	523	529	508	57%	519	530	503	53%
USA	501	516	492	47%	497	514	489	50%	491	505	481	47%
Source:  Oregon Department of Education Report Cards.
Higher SAT, ACT Scores Pay off with Bigger College Scholarships Students who score in the top 10 percent of test-takers — about 2000 out of 2400 on the SAT or a 28 out of 36 on the ACT — can count on being offered merit scholarships as large as $20,000 a year at many excellent colleges and universities.  Some universities spell that out in black and white. Seattle Pacific University's Web site shows that a student with a 3.75 grade-point average and a combined score of 1110 on the SAT math and reading sections qualifies for a $10,000-a-year scholarship. But if that student were able to score 100 points higher, the scholarship would increase to $12,000, netting the student an additional $8,000 over four years of college.   Other universities say they consider a student holistically and that a test score doesn't hold specific weight. Bu a requirement that took effect in October 2011 that a university put in a net cost calculator on its Web site to let students see how much they would be expected to pay out of pocket to go there shows that's often not the case. Students who enter their full profile then change nothing but their SAT or ACT score can watch the scholarship offers grow as the score rises. This calculator should allow students to calculate an estimated net price of attendance at an institution (defined as cost (price) of attendance minus grant and scholarship aid) based on what similar students paid in a previous year. The net price calculator is required for all Title IV institutions that enroll full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate students.

 

Class of 2012 Oregon SAT: Oregon Performs Above National Average

SAT results show that Oregon students continue to perform above the national average, and 2012 graduates performed slightly better on the test overall with increases in both reading and math scores. Writing results held steady. Fifty-one percent of Oregon 2012 public school graduates took the SAT, a total of 15,858 and up slightly from last year. 

Oregon public school grads received a mean critical reading score of 518 and a math score of 521 in 2012. Those numbers were up two points and one point respectively over last year's totals. In Oregon, the mean writing score this year is 494 for public school graduates. That's the same as last year.

Results at a Glance

• Oregon public school grads received a mean critical reading score of 518, up two points from last year. The national average was 491.
• Oregon public school grads received a mean math score of 521, up one point from last year. The national average was 505.
• Oregon public school grads received a mean writing score of 494, the same as last year. The national average was 481.

Washington students’ combined average score on the SAT (1545) is the highest in the nation — tied with Vermont — among states in which at least 45 percent of the eligible students took the test. The percentage of students tested is significant because generally the more students who test, the lower the overall average score. However, Washington has bucked that trend for the past decade. Washington again had the nation’s highest score in math (528), was tied for second in writing (500) and was third in reading (517) among states with a participation rate of 45 percent or more. The ranking is based on students taking the SAT who were 12th graders in the Class of 2012.

For more information on Oregon or national SAT results, go to www.collegeboard.org/SATPress.

Class of 2011 Oregon SAT: Oregon 4th Highest Scores

Average test scores for Oregon's high school class of 2011 were the lowest in a decade, though they were good enough to keep Oregon scores above the national average, ranking 22nd.

Oregon's high school class of 2011 tested three points lower on average, for example, than 2010 seniors in the SAT's critical reading and mathematical sections - 520 and 521, respectively. Those were also the lowest averages for the state of the last decade. Results for the third section, writing, remained at 499. SAT scores are based on a scale of 200 to 800.

Still, Oregon's dipping scores beat the national averages in reading (497), math (514) and writing (489). Oregon's lower performance mirrored the national dip in scores, which had the lowest national average in reading since 1972.

In Oregon 15,763 public high school students, or 89 percent of the state's total number of possible test takers, completed the exam. This year, they scored lower in each category compared with 2010 averages.

Oregon was, once again, eclipsed by students on the other side of the Columbia River. Average scores for Washington students exceeded Oregon in every section - 523 in reading, 529 in math and 508 in writing. Since 2002, Washington students have generally outscored Oregon students. Washington students’ average combined score in reading, math and writing was 520, higher than all states in which at least 30 percent of its students tested. The percentage of students tested is significant because generally the more students who test, the lower their scores. However, Washington has bucked that trend through most of the past decade.

New Hampshire had the second highest average score of 519.6, followed by Massachusetts (516), Oregon (513), Vermont (512.6) and Connecticut (511.6). Washington had the nation’s highest score in math (529), was tied for first with New Hampshire in reading (523) and was fourth in writing (508) of states with 50 percent or more participation.

Source:  "SAT scores for Oregon high school seniors trend lower but still above national average."  September 15, 2011. The Oregonian.

Class of 2010 Oregon SAT: Reading Scores Improve

Oregon’s SAT scores improved by two points in both reading and writing this year, according to data released by The College Board today on the class of 2010. Though average math scores were unchanged, Oregon students scored above the national average in all three subjects.

In critical reading, Oregon students scored an average of 521, 23 points above the national average of 498. In math, students scored 523, 12 points above the national average of 511. And in writing, Oregon students earned a score of 496, eight points above the national average of 488. Over the past decade, several studies have highlighted lagging performance by boys in reading on state tests and colleges have reported that girls are earning better grades and graduating more often.

In Oregon, the number of girls taking the SAT increased by nearly 3 percent in 2010 while the percentage of boys taking the test decreased by nearly 1 percent. Still, boys scored 5 points higher on reading in 2010, outperforming girls and the state average.

Of the 14,000 Oregon students who took the SAT before March 2010, 23 percent were students of color – the highest rate ever recorded in the state. Just ten years ago, that number was 14 percent.

Source:  The Oregonian, "Oregon Public Schools Students Increase Participation and Reading Scores on SAT."  September 13, 2010.

Class of 2009 Oregon SAT:  Lowest Scores in Years

Scores on the widely watched college entrance exam for the Oregon class of 2009 were lower than they have been in years according to results from the College Board, which runs the test.

Writing was a problem for the 18,000 college-bound students in the class of '09 who took the SAT. They averaged 499 on a scale of 200 to 800, a 3-point drop from the previous year and the worst showing by an Oregon graduating class in the four years the SAT has included a mandatory writing section.

Math was also a problem as Oregon students' performance on the math section of the widely used college-entrance exam was the worst in a decade.

The state school board has agreed to raise the bar for academic achievement in high schools. But higher standards for high school math achievement have been delayed so that this year's incoming freshmen will be out of high school before they take effect. The Oregon Board of Education voted in June 2008 to require high school students, beginning with those now entering their sophomore year, to pass state exams in reading, math and writing in order to get a diploma - a standard now met by only one in three Oregon students. Then in December, the board decided to postpone the math requirement for two more years, saying schools don't have enough money to add additional classes and tutoring that would be necessary to get all students up to par in math.

For much of the 1980s and 1990s, Oregon had the highest SAT scores in the nation among the 21 states where at least half of graduates take the exam.

Students in Oregon's largest school district, Portland, bucked the state and national trends. Portland's average SAT score rose 20 points - a huge gain by historical standards - thanks to improvements in all three subjects.

In Oregon, the ethnic makeup of SAT-takers was largely identical in the class of 2008 and the class of 2009: 78 percent white, 9 percent Asian American, 7 percent Latino, 2 percent African American and 2 percent Native American.

• Washington, New Hampshire and Massachusetts all are ahead of Oregon, with Washington students scoring tops in the nation for the seventh straight year this year.
• Oregon's reading score was 523, math 525 (two point drop from 2008), and reading dropped three point from 2008. 
• In Oregon, about 22 percent of the 18,000 who took the test were minorities, up from last year.
• 54 percent of Oregon's high school seniors took the SAT.

Class of 2008 Oregon SAT

Scores on the widely watched college entrance exam fell last year to their lowest level since the late 1990s and did not rebound in the class of 2008, according to results from the College Board, which runs the test.

Nationally, average SAT scores for the class of 2008 were identical to those for the class of 2007. The national scores:  502 in reading, 515 in math, and 494 in writing.  A perfect score is 2,400; 800 points in each section (reading, math, and writing).

In Oregon, they rose one point each in math and in reading, not considered a statistically significant change. The nation's stagnant SAT performance was chalked up to more students, including a record-high number of minority students, taking the test. Minorities have historically received lower scores on the test.

In Oregon, fewer students in the class of 2008 opted for the SAT as the competing ACT exam became more popular. Statewide, 18,377 students took the SAT, down 230 from the previous year, while about 10,600 took the ACT, a one-year jump of 4,200.

For the sixth straight year, Washington students posted the highest average SAT scores among states in which more than half of eligible students took the test.  Oregon, which in previous years usually were second place, dropped to a tie for third this year, due primarily to Oregon students' poor showing on the newest section of the SAT, a writing test. New Hampshire ranked second and Massachusetts, where the average score rose by six points this year, tied Oregon.

• Oregon and Washington posted higher scores than the national average. Oregon fell from second place to a tie for third place among states in which more than 50 percent of students took the test, largely because of its writing scores. Washington kept its No. 1 spot.
• Oregon's scores increased one point in reading to 523, one point in math to 527, and stayed the same in writing at 502. Washington's scores were 526 in reading, 533 in math and 509 in writing.
• In Oregon, about 20 percent of the 18,377 who took the test were minorities, up from last year.
• 54 percent of Oregon's high school seniors took the SAT, and 18 percent took the ACT.

ACT

The ACT covers reading, English, writing, math and science. The test also asks students for their high school grades and course information. It is designed to measure whether high school graduates are ready for the academic challenge of college.  The primary difference between the ACT and the SAT is that SAT is a reasoning test, while the ACT measures performance in core subject areas.

In 25 states, ACT is the predominant college-entrance exam taken by students. In other states, including Oregon and Washington, the SAT is the primary college-entrance test, and only a small share of students take the ACT.  In Oregon, starting with the class of 2008, the number (as well as the percentage) of students taking the ACT is gaining. The ACT is popular for those students aiming for selective universities in the Midwest.

Class of 2012 ACT Test Results

Nearly 60 percent of Portland Public Schools students who took the ACT college entrance exam are not ready to pass college-level math courses, according to data released by ACT in August 2012. The district has pushed to have algebra classes available to more students before high school, and mandates three math courses for a diploma. 

The results showed only 42 percent of test-takers from the class of 2012 were college-ready in math. Scores released this week showed minimal progress on average scores at the state level, and Portland Public Schools reflected that trend. The district's average composite score stayed stagnant at 20.4. 

About 58 percent of students proved college-ready on the English portion, compared with last year's 56 percent. In math, the district saw a one percentage-point increase in students hitting the benchmark score. The biggest gains came from the science portion, which saw 31 percent of students prove they were prepared for college compared with last year's 26 percent. The district lost ground with reading, dropping from 49 percent to 48 percent. Because Portland Public Schools requires all juniors to take the test, it has a broader representation of districtwide achievement than other districts with lower participation rates.

Average scores and the percentage of students meeting benchmarks were lower than the state average in every subject, but the state also has a smaller share taking the exam. 

Source:  "Portland Public Schools ACT scores show less than half of test-takers are ready for college math," The Oregonian. Published: Wednesday, August 22, 2012, 7:45 AM. By Nicole Dungca, The Oregonian