For a second straight year, SAT scores for the most recent high school graduating class remained at the lowest level in nearly a decade, a trend attributed to a record number of students now taking the test.
The 1.52 million students who took the test is a slight increase from last year but a jump of nearly 30 percent over the past decade. Minority students accounted for 40 percent of test-takers, and 36 percent were the first in their families to attend college. Nearly one in seven had a low enough family income to take the test for free.
"More than ever, the SAT reflects the face of education in this country," said Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, which owns the test and released the results Tuesday.
Scores in the critical reading component among last spring's high school seniors also held steady at 502, but the decline over time has been more dramatic: the past two years represent the lowest reading average since 1994, when graduating seniors scored 499.
515 out of 800. That's 64.37%. That's a D grade. That is UNACCEPTABLE. We, and when I say we, I mean everyone, Democrats and Republicans, pay an extraordinary amount of money towards schools. Property taxes, federal taxes, sales taxes, gasoline taxes are all taken and a good chunk of them are diverted to schools.
And what do we get for our money? A graduating class of retards. What's worse, is that I'm not trying to disparage retarded people. They at least have something wrong with them. That's completely understandable.
But we get a graduating class who seem to think that they'll be driving Bentley's and living in mansions once they graduate from high school. If this isn't a wake up call for a year round school year schedule, I don't know what is. Does anyone care to justify this abysmal score? Put away the video games, push your child to do better, punish failure and praise success.
Stop with the "trophy for everyone" mentality. Not everyone is special and unique and needs to be hand held for their entire lives. If you've ever defended your child against a teacher for something your child did wrong in school, you're a part of the problem. If you've ever said "it's ok" when your child fails at a subject in school, but can wipe the floor with someone in Halo 3, you're part of the problem.
Your job as a parent is to bring your child up to be a responsible member of society, and if you fail to give them a good education and guidance, they will have a life of mediocrity, and when you're lying on your deathbed, you'll be thinking "I could have done better".
For example, when my friends come over, they bring their children. I have a house FILLED with entertainment goodies. However, they don't get to play with any of them unless they are behaving and are doing well in school. Got homework? You can sit at my kitchen table and do homework while the rest of us socialize. We don't do it to punish you, we do it because we believe you can achieve better.
When they come to my home, I explain things to them. When I playfully wrestle with them, I show them why a particular move I do will hurt if I put pressure on it, or why they will lose consciousness if I squeeze hard when I playfully put them in headlocks.
I explain how parts of my racecar work. When they play in my garage with the speed and heavy bags, I explain how to hit harder, how to build muscle mass in their shoulders and arms, how diet and exercise makes them healthier and stronger.
THESE AREN'T EVEN MY CHILDREN.
They are my friend's children. But I love them like my own and I generally practice what I preach. I'm honest with them. When they have questions about sex, I give them honest answers. It's my job to make sure that they have the correct information so they can make informed decisions themselves, instead of dictating what they should and shouldn't do.
So, if I am doing that, I don't see why you can't do the same for your children or the children of friends and family. Do that, and test scores will rise accordingly.
Travis
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