Generation F

The national SAT score average has suffered its most severe drop in 30 years. Educators insist that kids are just as intelligent, but that a recent redesign of the test, which placed increased emphasis on math and critical reading skills, is to blame for the poor showing.

San Francisco Chronicle:

While College Board officials insist their research shows that fatigue did not affect scores, even as the exam grew from 3 hours to 3 hours and 45 minutes, they are studying options for breaking up the test to administer the sections over multiple days. Any change is more than a year away.

Critics of the SAT noted that this year’s downturn in scores has College Board officials singing a different tune than in the past.

Last year, the critics noted, College Board spokesmen trumpeted a 2-point increase in math scores as a sign students were working harder and that there were tougher math standards in schools. But this year, the critics pointed out, Caperton is saying the 7-point drop is insignificant.

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