Local magnet high schools stand out with improved SAT performance

But most districts follow state trend of lower scores

As was the case statewide, most of the region’s school districts saw minor drops in average SAT scores, with the exception of two local magnet schools.

Compared with other public high schools in the state, Marine Science Magnet High School had the highest share of students meeting or exceeding the benchmark on the English Language Arts portion of the SAT, at 93.3 percent, according to data the state released Wednesday.

The Groton school was one of only two in southeastern Connecticut to see an increase in students’ average scores on both the ELA and math portions from 2017 to 2018, along with the Science and Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut in New London.

At MSMHS, where 60 juniors took the SAT this year, the average ELA score rose from 556 to 592, while the average math score rose from 520 to 557.

“Instructionally, we went deeper into looking at our students’ individual data from the PSAT,” Principal Nicholas Spera explained, “so we did a deeper dive and really disaggregated the data, so we were seeing what area students were low in.”

He added that a lot of students entered their PSAT scores in Khan Academy, a free online tutoring program, and thus received a customized program.

The data the Connecticut State Department of Education released Wednesday reflected scores from March 21, the 2018 Connecticut SAT School Day; 37,922 students took the test, for a participation rate of 95.2 percent.

Statewide, the average ELA score was 516, compared with the benchmark of 480, while the average math score was 503, compared with the benchmark of 530.

ELA and math averages both fell from the respective 201617 averages of 524 and 507. SAT scores are on a scale from 200 to 800.

On the other end of the spectrum from MSMHS was New London High School, where the percentage of students meeting or exceeding benchmark was only 20.5 for ELA and 4.7 for math. The respective average scores were 411 and 404.

The other local schools with ELA and math averages below the state averages were Wheeler High School in North Stonington and Norwich Free Academy. Fitch High School in Groton came in just below the state on ELA, with an average score of 515, but fared the same on math.

Scoring above the state averages were East Lyme High School, Montville High School, Science and Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut and Stonington High School.

Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell said in a statement that she was encouraged by an increase in achievement in mathematics for students from low-income backgrounds.

The state data show that the state math average for students eligible for free lunch rose from 435 to 440. The only other category to see an increase in math was high needs, from 438 to 441.

“The Connecticut SAT School Day serves as an accountability assessment measure but it also represents our commitment as a state to equity and excellence by providing the opportunity for all 11th graders to take a college and career readiness exam at no cost,” Wentzell said, “resulting in more students having access to higher education especially those from low-income families.”

The statewide data showed great disparities by race, with an average math score of 585 for Asian students and 431 for black students. In between, the averages were 534 for white students and 440 for Hispanic/ Latino students.

Female students outperformed their male counterparts on ELA, while the opposite was true in math.