Delaware Will Give the SAT to All 11th Graders
--College Board selected to provide College Readiness Test Statewide—
(Dover, DE.) The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) awarded College Board a four-year contract totaling up to $1.8 million to administer the SAT® annually to all 11th graders attending Delaware public high schools through the 2013-2014 school year, Secretary of Education Lillian M. Lowery, Ed.D. announced today. This year, the SAT® will be administered statewide on April 13, 2011.
The SAT® is a curriculum-based, high-stakes test that will provide DDOE with an important measure of academic achievement as students prepare for post-secondary college and career opportunities. Participation in the SAT® also gives students valuable skills feedback, connects them with scholarship opportunities, and helps them select the best fit for college. SAT® diagnostic information will enable educators to identify and compare college and career readiness of the students, schools, and districts using an objective scale and benchmark. The SAT® is also used by colleges and universities as part of their undergraduate admission process.
The state committed in its successful application for Race to the Top funding to administer a college readiness exam to all 11th graders and expects close to 100% of students will take the SAT® by the end of this school year. Last year, 36% of 11th graders (3,174 students) took the SAT®. The state expects in light of a significant increase in the number of students taking the test, some of whom are not preparing for college at this time, average SAT® scores will likely decline. Delaware is receiving almost $1.8 million in Race to the Top federal dollars to administer the SAT® to 11th graders over a four-year period (at a cost of about $47 per student). Delaware will also be encouraging the PSAT® for all 9th graders.
Enabling students to take the SAT® during a regular school day at their own high school means that nearly three times as many 11th graders will participate this year than last year. It will also increase the number of students who are likely to apply to college because it eliminates a number of barriers to traditional testing, including the cost of registration, lack of transportation to the test center, unfamiliarity with the test and how to prepare, and conflicts with job or family responsibilities. Some other major benefits of an SAT ®school day administration include:
- Improves access and convenience;
- Increases overall student participation and creates a college-going-culture;
- Minimizes test-day stress because students are in a familiar location with familiar staff.
Providing the SAT® to all public school 11th graders is part of Delaware’s larger strategy to improve college and career readiness among all Delaware students. It will also enable local districts and charters to focus their resources on preparing students to take the exam. Going forward, the SAT® results will give students and teachers with critical information about students’ mastery of material as well as identify any gaps before students enter the 12th grade.
"As part of our effort to get students more college ready, we will dramatically increase the number of students taking the SAT® in Delaware," said Governor Jack Markell. "Whether they go on to college or not, more students will acquire knowledge that will help them be employable and prepared for a more rigorous education after they graduate. This is about preparing more students for their challenges ahead."
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of more than 5,900 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program®. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.com.
“We are honored to be a partner in Delaware’s ambitious effort to transform education in the First State. We look forward to working closely with Delaware educators and policymakers to ensure that this partnership will help turn our schools into communities of learning in which all students are prepared for college and careers,” said Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board.
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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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