THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY: The Scholastic Aptitude Test Known As SAT (Part four)
Wednesday, February 09, 2022
(The last of a four-part CNBNews series Dumbing Down of American Education)
The final aspect of American education that we will study is the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Dorothy Philbin | Exclusive for CNBNewsnet
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (FEBRUARY 9, 2022)(CNBNEWSnet)--These tests, also known as College Boards, have been in existence for 96 years, since 1926. They are standardized tests traditionally used by colleges and taken by about 1.5 million students.* Some colleges are starting to rely less on SAT scores and more on the student's progress in school and out-of-school activities. Students now have the option of sending the scores to colleges or not.
As has been the case with so many aspects of education, the SATs have also been dumbed down or, as the company prefers to call it "fully redesigned" in 2016 and the results were seen in the test scores of 2017. There are also reports that the tests will be "redesigned" again in 2024.** Once again they are supposed to be shorter, easier, and completely online - FOR THE USA! The article doesn't mention making the tests easier for the 25 other countries which scored higher than we did in worldwide educational surveys.
Beginning in 2024 the tests will be shorter, two hours rather than the usual three. There will be shorter reading passages and only one question per passage. Calculators will be permitted for all phases of the math tests. Students will be able to take the tests at home or at school. If they decide to take them at school the school must provide a laptop or tablet.**
The tests have been given in several schools as a means of "testing the tests." Of those students who took both test, 80% felt the new test is less stressful. Of the teachers involved, 100% said the new test provided a more positive experience.**
The registration fee for the SAT is $55. However, that fee can be waived if any of certain conditions can be met:
- The student qualifies for the free lunch program
- The family is on Public Assistance (Welfare)
- The family qualified for any federal, state or local program for low-income homes
- The family lives in subsidized housing (Section 8,) in foster care or is homeless
- The student is a ward of the state.*
According to the state's Department of Education's web site in 2019 - 2020 (the last year for which data was available) 55% of Gloucester City's students are economically disadvantaged. The site doesn't provide information on the other criteria (Section 8 housing, welfare, etc.) but we know most of our students qualify for the waived registration fee.
Former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said "We cannot prepare the world for our children but we can prepare our children for the world." We are failing our children.
_____________________________
* blog.prepscholar.com February 8, 2022
** study.com/academy/goal/transferable.com February 5, 2022
image source https://career.webindia123.com/
+++++
The author's background:
BA Foreign Languages Rutgers
BS Business Management Rutgers
MBA Business Management Drexel
M. Ed Education (K-6, ESL, MYSS) St. Joseph's
ABD PhD Educational Law and Finance Nova Southeastern
Taught: 8 years Rutgers University
17 years Public School Systems
RELATED: