SAT
R E P O R T
The North Carolina 2000
Scholastic Assessment Test Report
Reporting on the Nation, the State,
the 117 Public School Systems,
Charter Schools, North Carolina School of
the Arts, and North Carolina School of
Science and Mathematics
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION • DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
INSTRUCTIONAL AND ACCOUNTABILITY SERVICES • PUBLISHED AUGUST 2000
The North Carolina 2000 Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
Report
Public Schools of North Carolina
State Board of Education
Department of Public Instruction
Instructional and Accountability Services
Division of Accountability Services
Reporting Section
August 2000
The North Carolina 2000 Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Report
Table of Contents
Cautions on the Use of Aggregate SAT Scores .......................................................................... i
Background ............................................................................................................................. 1
Results ................................................................................................................................... 1
Gender .............................................................................................................................. 2
Race/Ethnicity .................................................................................................................... 4
Family Income ................................................................................................................... 5
Academic Preparation ....................................................................................................... 6
North Carolina and the University of North Carolina System ..................................................... 8
North Carolina’s School Systems and Schools ....................................................................... 11
Background on Recentering the SAT I Scores ........................................................................ 13
Sources of Data for the Report .............................................................................................. 13
References ............................................................................................................................ 13
Appendices
North Carolina and the Nation ......................................................................................... 17
Performance of the 117 Public School Systems, Charter Schools, North Carolina School
of the Arts, and North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics ................................. 25
Performance of the Fifty States ........................................................................................ 31
Cautions on the Use of Aggregate SAT Scores*
As measures of developed verbal and mathematical abilities important for success in college, SAT scores are
useful in making decisions about individual students and in assessing the academic preparation of individual
students. Using these scores in aggregate form as a single measure to rank or rate teachers, educational
institutions, districts, or states is invalid because it does not include all students. And in being incomplete, this
use is inherently unfair.
For example, in order for one to make useful comparisons between states of students’ performance, a
common test given to all students would be required. Because the percentage of SAT-takers varies widely
among the states and because the test-takers are self-selected, the SAT is inappropriate for this purpose.
The most significant factor in interpreting SAT scores is the proportion of eligible students taking the exam -
the participation rate. In general, the higher the percentage of students taking the test, the lower will be the
average scores.
In some states, for example, a very small percentage of the college-bound seniors take the SAT. Typically,
these students have strong academic backgrounds and are applicants to the nation’s most selective colleges
and scholarship programs. Therefore, it is to be expected that the SAT verbal and mathematical averages
reported for these states will be higher than is the national average. In states where a greater proportion of
students with a wide range of academic backgrounds take the SAT, and where most colleges in the state
require the test for admission, the scores are closer to the national average.
In looking at average SAT scores, the user must understand the context in which the particular test scores
were earned. Other factors variously related to performance on the SAT include academic courses studied
in high school, family background, and education of parents. These factors and others of a less tangible
nature could very well have a significant influence on average scores.
That is not to say, however, that scores cannot be used properly as one indicator of educational quality.
Average scores analyzed from a number of years can reveal trends in the academic preparation of students
who take the test and can provide individual states and schools with a means of self-evaluation and self-comparison.
By studying other indicators—such as retention/attrition rates, graduation rates, the number of courses taken
in academic subjects, or scores on other standardized tests—one can evaluate the general direction in which
education in a particular jurisdiction is headed. A careful examination of other conditions impinging on the
educational enterprise, such as pupil/teacher ratios, teacher credentials, expenditures per student, and minor-ity
enrollment, is also important.
Summaries of scores and other information by state, college, or school district can be used in curriculum
development, faculty staffing, student recruitment, financial aid assessment, planning for physical facilities,
and student services such as guidance and placement. Aggregate data can also be useful to state, regional,
and national education policymakers, especially in tracking changes during a period of time.
________________________
* Excerpted from Guidelines on the Uses of College Board Test Scores and Related Data. Copyright 1988 by the
College Entrance Examination Board. All rights reserved.
i
Background
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores measure developed verbal and mathematical abilities necessary
for success in college. Toward this end, SAT scores are useful in assessing the academic preparation of
individual students and in making decisions about individual students. Using SAT scores in aggregate form
as a single measure to rank or rate states, educational institutions, school systems, schools, or teachers is
invalid because not all students take the SAT and those who do are self-selected. Comparisons of this
kind are incomplete which makes their use inherently unfair. Consequently, rankings or residual rankings
are not used in this report in compliance with The College Board and with professional standards for
educational and psychological testing.
Aggregate scores can, however, indicate the preparation of groups of students who aspire to attend col-lege.
In addition, average scores analyzed for a number of years can reveal trends in the academic prepa-ration
of students who take the SAT. Consequently, this report includes the SAT performance of North
Carolina’s students who took the test in 2000 and recent historical data on the SAT performance of North
Carolina’s students.
Results
This report presents SAT results for students scheduled to graduate in 2000 and represents students’ most
recent scores, regardless of when they last took the test. The scores of public and non-public school
students in North Carolina and the United States are reflected in this report, except where otherwise
noted.
With a three percent increase in total test takers, North Carolina’s mean total SAT score (988) in 2000
increased two points from 1999 (see Figure 1). The state has improved its score each year since 1990,
except in 1994 when there was no change from the previous year. Moreover, from 1990 to 2000, North
Carolina gained more points (40) than any other state where more than 40 percent of students took the test
(see Table 9 in the Appendices). The nation’s students scored 1019 in 2000 (three points more than in
1999) and outgained North Carolina’s students by one point from the previous year. The Southeast mean
(990) in 2000 was an increase of four points from the previous year (see Figure 1). The 31 points
difference between North Carolina’s mean and the nation’s mean in 2000, although one point more than in
the previous year, still represents considerable progress when compared to the 83-point gap in 1972 and
the 53-point gap in 1990 (see Table 2 in the Appendices).
The gap between SAT scores in North Carolina and in the Southeast has closed dramatically since 1990
(see Figure 1). After equaling the Southeast score in 1999 at 986, North Carolina’s score (988) in 2000
was two points less than the Southeast score (990).
North Carolina’s public schools continued to narrow the gap on the nation’s public schools in 2000. The
mean total SAT score for the nation’s public school students (1011) was a one point increase from 1999,
while the score for North Carolina’s public school students (986) was a three-point increase from the
previous year. The difference between SAT scores for the nation’s public schools and North Carolina’s
public schools decreased from 30 points in 1998 to 25 points in 2000 (The College Board, 2000).
The North Carolina 2000 Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Report
1
Historically, North Carolina’s students have scored closer to the nation on the verbal portion of the
SAT than on the mathematics portion (see Table 2 in the Appendices). In 2000, the nation’s score on
the verbal portion (505) was 13 points higher than North Carolina’s score (492), but it was 22 points
higher in 1990. The nation’s mean score (514) on the mathematics portion of the SAT exceeded
North Carolina’s score (496) by 18 points in 2000, compared to 31 points in 1990.
Gender
In North Carolina and the nation, males historically have attained higher mean SAT scores than females
(see Figure 2). In 2000, North Carolina’s females scored 976, a gain of seven points from the previous
year. Conversely, the mean total score for males (1005) was one point less than the previous year’s score
resulting in a net reduction of eight points in the gender gap. Thus, the 37 point difference between North
Carolina’s male and female mean total SAT scores in 1999 was reduced to 29 points in 2000. Prior to
2000, the average gap between North Carolina’s males and females since 1990 had been 39 points as
shown in Figure 2.
The primary difference in mean SAT scores for males and females in North Carolina and the nation has
consistently been in mathematics as shown in Table 1. For example, the typical difference between the
mean scores of males and females in North Carolina from 1996 to 2000 has been about 30 points on the
math portion of the SAT but only about three points on the verbal portion. Nationally, the gender gap has
followed a similar trend with males scoring about 35 points higher in math but only about five points higher
on the verbal portion of the SAT from 1996 to 2000.
2
In 2000, North Carolina���s males lagged males nationally by 35 points (one point more than the previous
year), while females lagged their national counterparts by 26 points (two points fewer than the previous
year) as shown in Table 5 (Appendices). Males in the nation scored 1040 in 2000, the same as the two
previous years; North Carolina’s males scored 1005, one point less than the previous year. In 2000, the
nation’s females scored 1002, five points higher than in 1999, while North Carolina’s females scored 976,
seven points higher than in the previous year.
3
Year M F GAP M F GAP M F GAP M F GAP
1996 492 489 3 507 503 4 502 472 30 527 492 35
1997 491 489 2 507 503 4 505 474 31 530 494 36
1998 493 488 5 509 502 7 509 479 30 531 496 35
1999 496 490 6 509 502 7 510 479 31 531 495 36
2000 493 492 1 507 504 3 512 484 28 533 498 35
Table 1. Mean Verbal and Math SAT Scores for North Carolina and the Nation
by Gender, 1996-2000
SAT Verbal
North Carolina Nation
SAT Math
North Carolina Nation
1All Scholastic Assessment Test scores are reported on the recentered score scale (1995).
Race/Ethnicity
White and Asian students in North Carolina and in the nation typically score higher than other racial/ethnic
groups (see Figure 3). This trend continued in 2000 with North Carolina’s White students attaining the
highest mean total SAT score (1035), followed by Asians who scored 1024 (see Table 4 in Appendices).
Nationally, Asians scored 1064, followed closely by Whites who scored 1058.
Hispanic students were the only racial/ethnic students in North Carolina scoring higher than their national
counterparts in 2000 and previous years. North Carolina’s Hispanics scored 970 in 2000, 52 points
higher than their national counterparts. The table shows however that Hispanics comprised a very small
proportion of the total SAT test takers in North Carolina in 2000, representing only two percent com-pared
to nine percent nationally.
Black students scored 835 in 2000, two points below the previous year’s score (see Table 5 in Appendi-ces).
The 2000 performance represented the second consecutive year of declining scores for Black
students who fell from 839 to 837 between 1998 and 1999. Conversely, the mean total SAT score for
Black students in the nation (860) increased by four points from 1999.
4
In 2000, North Carolina’s American Indians scored 897, which was 66 points lower than the score (963)
attained by their national counterparts. As was the case with North Carolina’s Black students, the reduc-tion
in mean total SAT scores for American Indian students in 2000 marked the second consecutive year
of such declines. The 2000 score for North Carolina’s American Indian students represented the largest
scoring difference from a national counterpart of all racial/ethnic groups. American Indians also repre-sented
the smallest percent of SAT test takers (1 percent) in North Carolina and the nation as shown in
Table 4 (Appendices).
Family Income
In North Carolina and in the nation, the higher the family income the higher the student’s mean total SAT
score (see Figure 4). There is very little change from year to year in the mean total SAT within each family
income category. The relative difference in mean total SAT score between family income categories is also
fairly stable from year to year. Figure 5 shows that although mean total SAT scores increase for all racial/
ethnic groups with increasing family income in 2000, White students whose families were below the pov-erty
line scored higher than Black students whose families earned over $70,000 per annum.
5
Academic Preparation
The more academic credits students have in six subject areas (Arts and Music; English; Foreign and
Classical Languages; Mathematics; Natural Sciences; Social Sciences and History), the higher their mean
SAT scores (see Figure 6). While the mean SAT scores of students in each range of earned academic
credits have fluctuated over the last five years, the fluctuations are not consistent. At the highest level of
academic credit earned (20 or More), the mean total SAT scores for North Carolina’s students increased
in 2000 for the second consecutive year. On the other hand, North Carolina’s students in the lower
categories of academic credit (19 or Fewer) have generally had declining scores over the last five years,
although the lower three categories showed slight increases in 2000.
6
Figure 5. Mean Total SAT Scores for Students in North Carolina by Family Income
and Racial/Ethnic Groups.
Typically, the higher a student’s high school grade point average (GPA), the higher the student’s mean total
SAT score (see Figure 7), and this is true in North Carolina. However, North Carolina’s students with high
school GPAs of A+, A, or A- are further behind their national counterparts than North Carolina students
with B or C averages (see Table 4 in Appendices). North Carolina students with high school GPAs of
A+, A, or A- trail their peers nationally by 43, 59, and 60 points, respectively. Additionally, North
Carolina’s students with GPAs of A+, A, or A- represent 45 percent of North Carolina’s SAT takers
compared to 40 percent nationally.
North Carolina’s students with GPAs of B are 37 points behind their peers nationally and represent 43
percent of North Carolina SAT takers compared to 47 percent nationally. Students in North Carolina with
GPAs of C are 33 points behind their peers nationally and represent 12 percent of SAT takers in North
Carolina and 12 percent in the nation. Several explanations might account for these data:
• SAT test takers might misjudge or wrongly report their grade point averages
on the SAT questionnaire.
• SAT test takers might be receiving inflated grades.
• A combination of the two might be operative.
7
There is a strong positive relationship between the average performance of schools on the North Carolina
end-of-course tests in a high school and the mean total SAT score for that school (see Figure 8). The
Pearson correlation between the performance composite and mean total SAT score by high school was
0.78 on a scale of –1.0 to +1.0. This relationship was determined by plotting a high school’s performance
composite against its mean total SAT score. The performance composite is the weighted average of the
percent of students at or above level III on end-of-course tests (i.e., students mastering the course con-tent).
The performance composite is based on student performance on eleven end-of-course tests (Alge-bra
I; Algebra II; Chemistry; Biology; Economic, Legal, and Political Systems [ELPS]; English I; English
II; Geometry; Physical Science; Physics and U.S. History) and the High School Comprehensive Test of
Reading and Mathematics.
North Carolina and the University of North Carolina System
The mean total SAT score of North Carolina’s students graduating in 1999 was 986, while the mean total
for freshmen entering the University of North Carolina system was 1068, four points more than the previ-ous
year (The University of North Carolina, 2000). The most current year for which comparable data are
available for the University of North Carolina System was 1999 (data released in 2000). It is not surpris-ing
that students entering the University of North Carolina system have higher mean total SAT scores than
students graduating from high school in general, since many students who do not perform well on the SAT
choose other post-secondary options, including community college and full-time employment. While 41,209
of the 1999 North Carolina seniors took the SAT during high school, 56,128 North Carolina students
applied to the University of North Carolina System institutions. Of the total number of North Carolina
applicants, 40,186 (72 percent) were accepted and 20,482 (36 percent) enrolled (The University of
North Carolina, 2000).
8
Figure 7. Mean Total SAT Scores for North Carolina by High School GPA, 1994-2000.
9
Schools within the University of North Carolina System serve a wide variety of student abilities as evi-denced
by the mean total SAT scores of those institutions, which range from 823 at Elizabeth City State
University to 1245 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (The University of North Carolina,
2000). Figure 9 shows the range of total SAT scores for the middle 50 percent of North Carolina’s
college-bound seniors in 2000 and for entering freshmen at the University of North Carolina System
institutions and selected other institutions in 1999.
Figure 9 shows that each of the University of North Carolina System institutions serves some students who
score like the middle 50 percent of college-bound seniors in North Carolina and the nation. Duke, Wake
Forest, and Harvard are more likely to serve students who score like the top 25 percent of the 2000
college-bound seniors in North Carolina and the nation. Conversely, these institutions are not likely to
serve students who score like the lower 50 percent of 2000 college-bound seniors in North Carolina. On
the other hand, Howard University, recognized as one of the elite Historically Black Colleges and Univer-sities,
is unique in that it serves a wide range of student abilities and might serve students from the upper 75
percent of 2000 college-bound seniors in North Carolina.
10
N.C . College-
Bou nd Seniors
Appalachian State
East C arolina
Duke
Eliz abe th C ity State
N .C. A & T State
Fa ye tteville State
N .C. Centra l
N.C. Sch ool of the Arts
N .C. State
UNC - Ashe ville
UNC - C h arlotte
UNC - Chapel Hill
UNC - Gree nsbo ro
UNC - P embroke
UNC - Wilmington
Wake Forest
Western Carolina
Wins ton -S alem State
Harvard2
Nor th C ar olin a
50 th P er centile
50 th
Percentile
25 th Per ce ntile 75 th Per ce ntile
700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
Me an Tota l SAT Score1
Howard2
1All Sch olastic A ssessm en t T es t scores a re repo rted on th e recen tered sco re sca le (19 95) .
2Informa tion on th e 50 th p erc en tile fo r H arva rd U niv er sity ente ring f re shmen wa s not ava ilab le;
qua r tiles for H arva rd , H ow ard U nive rs ity an d W ak e For es t U niv er sitie s b as ed o n 199 8 da ta.
1000 1100
Natio nal C olle ge -
Bou nd Seniors
Sou rce : The U nive r sity o f N or th Ca rolina ( in pre ss). A ve ra ges an d Q uar tiles of SA T Scor es of E ntering Fre shm en in the
Univ er sity o f N orth Ca rolin a, F all 19 99. S ta tistica l A bstr ac t of High er Ed ucatio n in N orth Carolin a, 199 9-200 0. C h ap el H ill,
NC. ; G raham, A. E. & Mor se , R. J. (Au gust 19 99) . H ow U. S . N ew s rank s college s. U. S . N ew s & Wor ld R ep or t. 84 -10 5.
Figure 9. The 25th, 50th, and 75th Percentile of SAT Mean Total Scores for National College-Bound
Seniors, North Carolina’s College-Bound Seniors, Entering Freshmen at Institutions of the University of
North Carolina System and Selected Private Universities, Fall 1999.
North Carolina’s School Systems and Schools
Most people assume there is a negative association between the percent of students taking the SAT and
the mean SAT score. This is true when the percent of students taking the SAT and the mean total SAT
scores for states are compared (see Figure 10). However, the opposite association occurs when the
percent of students taking the SAT and the mean total SAT score for public school systems and public
schools in North Carolina are correlated (see Figures 10 and 11). The Pearson correlation between the
percent of students taking the SAT and the mean total SAT score is 0.38 for public school systems in North
Carolina and similarly the correlation is 0.42 for North Carolina public schools. These results suggest that
schools and school systems in North Carolina cannot assume that their scores were better or worse
because the percent of students taking the SAT changed. In fact, 50% of all schools and school systems
in the nation had a change in their mean verbal or math SAT of plus or minus 10 points (The College Board,
2000). This fluctuation in mean SAT scores means that school systems and schools should take into
account other factors such as course-taking patterns, content of the curriculum, and course standards
when attempting to explain changes in mean SAT scores.
11
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Background on Recentering the SAT I Scores
The College Board recentered the score scale of the SAT I, re-establishing the original mean score of 500
on the 200-800 scale in order to maintain the SAT’s statistical integrity and predictive validity. The scale
had not been recalibrated since 1941 when it reflected the norm of some 10,000 students from predomi-nantly
private secondary schools who applied to the nation’s most selective private colleges and universi-ties.
As mean scores shifted below 500, the score distribution became stretched in the upper half and
compressed in the lower half.
Now that scores are recentered on the renormed SAT I, they reflect the more than two million students
who take the test today. They also reflect a more diverse college-bound population than the group who
took the SAT in 1941.
Although a student’s score may change after recentering, the rank order of individual scores, expressed as
percentiles, remains the same. What is more, a specific score on the verbal test now has the same relative
position and meaning as the same score on the math test. For example, a 450 on verbal and math signifies
comparable performance in both areas. Before recentering, a score of 450 represented above-average
performance on verbal and below-average performance on math. While recentering permits legitimate
comparisons of verbal and math scores and reduces earlier confusion, it has no effect on historical score
trends, or on the difficulty level of the test and the relative standing of students to each other.
Sources of Data for the Report
The data in this report are from three primary sources: (1) National Report 2000 College-Bound Se-niors:
A Profile of SAT Program Test Takers and profiles from earlier years (The College Board);
(2) North Carolina Report 2000 College-Bound Seniors: A Profile of SAT Program Test Takers and
profiles from earlier years (The College Board); and (3) a data file of individual student scores for the
state’s 117 public school systems, charter schools, North Carolina School of the Arts, and North Carolina
School of Science and Mathematics. The data file was prepared by Educational Testing Service in coop-eration
with The College Board. SAT scores are reported each year for students scheduled to graduate.
Only the most recent scores of these students are reported, regardless of when they last took the test.
References
The University of North Carolina. (2000, April). Statistical abstract of higher education in North
Carolina, 1999-2000 (Research Report 1-00). Chapel Hill, NC: Author.
The College Board. (2000, August). Academic and demographic features of 1.26 million SAT takers
in the high school class of 2000. New York: Author.
The College Board. (2000). 2000 College-bound seniors: a profile of SAT program test takers.
Atlanta: Southern Regional Office.
13
Appendices
15
North Carolina and the Nation
17
Table 2. Mean (Average) SAT Scores for North Carolina and the Nation, 1972-2000
19
National Mean North Carolina Mean
Year Verbal Math Total Verbal Math Total
2000 505 514 1019 492 496 988
1999 505 511 1016 493 493 986
1998 505 512 1017 490 492 982
1997 505 511 1016 490 488 978
1996 505 508 1013 490 486 976
1995 504 506 1010 488 482 970
1994 499 504 1003 482 482 964
1993 500 503 1003 483 481 964
1992 500 501 1001 482 479 961
1991 499 500 999 478 474 952
1990 500 501 1001 478 470 948
1989 504 502 1006 474 469 943
1988 505 501 1006 478 470 948
1987 507 501 1008 477 468 945
1986 509 500 1009 477 465 942
1985 509 500 1009 476 464 940
1984 504 497 1001 473 461 934
1983 503 494 997 472 460 932
1982 504 493 997 474 460 934
1981 502 492 994 469 456 925
1980 502 492 994 471 458 929
1979 505 493 998 471 455 926
1978 507 494 1001 468 453 921
1977 507 496 1003 472 454 926
1976 509 497 1006 474 452 926
1975 512 498 1010 477 457 934
1974 521 505 1026 488 466 954
1973 523 506 1029 487 468 955
1972 530 509 1039 489 467 956
Observations
• The 2000 mean total SAT for the nation increased by three points over 1999 to 1019.
• The 2000 mean total SAT for North Carolina increased by two points over 1999 to 988,
the highest it has been in 28 years.
• The verbal mean for the nation has not changed for five years.
Notes :
· In thi s tab l e, U nite d State s a nd N orth Caro l ina a verage sc ores inc lude both publ ic a nd non-public
s choo l students .
· In 1972, the Coll ege B o ard began reporting the m ost rece nt S chol as tic A ssessment Tes t sc ores of
s eni o rs, re gardle ss of w hen the student las t took t he te st . D a ta prior to 1972 are n ot com parable.
· A ll Sc holas tic A ssessm ent Tes t s core s are report ed on the rece ntere d sc ore scale (1995).
· F or 1972-1986, the conv ersion table provided b y Educ ational Te st ing Se rvice was app lie d to the
original No rth C arolina me ans to conve rt tho se m eans to the rec ente red s cale.
20
Table 3. Frequency Distribution of North Carolina’s Public School Students’
Verbal and Mathematics SAT Scores, 2000
Score
Number Rank Number
89 0 .2 99 800 71 0 .2 99
30 0 .1 99 790 101 0 .3 99
27 0 .1 99 780 9 0.0 9 9
53 0 .1 99 770 44 0 .1 99
81 0 .2 99 760 106 0 .3 99
100 0 .3 99 750 39 0 .1 99
45 0 .1 99 740 128 0 .3 99
104 0 .3 99 730 65 0 .2 99
133 0 .4 98 720 176 0 .5 98
188 0 .5 98 710 257 0 .7 98
250 0 .7 97 700 262 0 .7 97
207 0 .5 97 690 334 0 .9 96
358 0 .9 96 680 336 0 .9 95
354 0 .9 95 670 378 1 .0 94
359 0 .9 94 660 450 1 .2 93
475 1 .2 93 650 539 1 .4 92
563 1 .5 92 640 580 1 .5 91
608 1 .6 90 630 878 2 .3 89
665 1 .7 89 620 708 1 .9 87
621 1 .6 87 610 744 2 .0 85
704 1 .8 85 600 652 1 .7 83
1041 2 .7 83 590 1186 3 .1 80
1026 2 .7 80 580 972 2 .6 78
940 2 .5 78 570 865 2 .3 75
1293 3 .4 75 560 1347 3 .5 72
835 2 .2 72 550 1016 2 .7 69
1500 3 .9 69 540 1187 3 .1 66
1540 4 .0 65 530 1339 3 .5 63
987 2 .6 62 520 1312 3 .4 60
1371 3 .6 58 510 1374 3 .6 56
1532 4 .0 55 500 1070 2 .8 53
1209 3 .2 51 490 1633 4 .3 49
1647 4 .3 47 480 1377 3 .6 45
1566 4 .1 43 470 1433 3 .8 42
1167 3 .1 40 460 1309 3 .4 38
1415 3 .7 36 450 1211 3 .2 35
1606 4 .2 32 440 1486 3 .9 31
1122 2 .9 29 430 1221 3 .2 28
1219 3 .2 26 420 1310 3 .4 24
1170 3 .1 22 410 1122 2 .9 21
1087 2 .9 19 400 941 2 .5 19
987 2 .6 17 390 847 2 .2 16
886 2 .3 14 380 915 2 .4 14
841 2 .2 12 370 711 1 .9 12
675 1 .8 10 360 633 1 .7 10
540 1 .4 8 350 604 1 .6 8
541 1 .4 7 340 515 1 .4 7
426 1 .1 6 330 492 1 .3 6
329 0 .9 5 320 370 1 .0 5
382 1 .0 4 310 323 0 .9 4
264 0 .7 3 300 212 0 .6 3
138 0 .4 3 290 265 0 .7 2
126 0 .3 2 280 137 0 .4 2
162 0 .4 2 270 128 0 .3 1
129 0 .3 1 260 73 0 .2 1
79 0 .2 1 250 115 0 .3 1
112 0 .3 1 240 42 0 .1 1
14 0 .0 1 230 74 0 .2 1
69 0 .2 1 220 32 0 .1 1
31 0 .1 1 210 43 0 .1 1
172 0 .5 1 200 91 0 .2 1
3 8 ,190 1 0 0 .0 3 8 ,190 1 0 0 .6
N otes: • S cholastic A ssessment T est scores a re reported on the recen tered score scale (1995).
• D ue to rounding, th e p ercentages m ay n o t ad d up to ex actly 1 0 0 .
Rank
Percentile
Percen t Percen t
Percentile
Verbal (Mean = 492 ) Mathematics (Mean = 496)
21
200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
Verbal Score
Figure 13. Distribution of North Carolina Public Schools Mathematics SAT Scores 2000
200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
Mathematics Score
Figure 14. Distribution of North Carolina Public Schools Verbal SAT Scores 2000
Note: All Scholastic Assessment Test scores are reported on the recentered score scale (1995).
Mathematics Mean = 496
Verbal Mean = 492
22
Table 4. Mean Total SAT Score by Student Profile Characteristics, 1999-2000
Differen ce
United S tates North C aro lina from U . S .
M ean % N M ean %
All S tudents 1 0 1 9 1 0 0 4 3 ,0 7 7 9 8 8 1 0 0 -3 1
Sex
M ale 1 0 4 0 4 6 1 9 ,1 9 9 1 0 0 5 4 5 -3 5
F em ale 1 0 0 2 5 4 2 3 ,8 7 8 9 7 6 5 5 -2 6
Race/Ethnicity
Am e rican In d ian 7 6 5 8 9 6 3 1 4 8 8 8 9 7 1 -6 6
A s ian A m e ric an 9 6 7 1 7 1 0 6 4 9 1 ,2 3 0 1 0 2 4 3 -4 0
B la ck 1 1 9 5 9 1 8 6 0 1 1 8 ,0 2 6 8 3 5 2 1 -2 5
H isp an ic 9 7 8 7 2 9 1 8 9 6 9 0 9 7 0 2 5 2
W h ite 7 1 2 1 0 5 1 0 5 8 6 6 2 7 ,7 1 7 1 0 3 5 7 1 -2 3
O th e r 3 8 6 3 4 1 0 2 3 4 6 7 8 1 0 1 6 2 -7
1072577 38,829
Parent Education L evel
N o h ig h sch o ol d ip lom a 4 6 5 8 8 8 5 5 4 8 1 5 8 5 0 2 -5
H ig h sch o o l d ip lom a 3 4 8 6 9 2 9 4 9 3 3 1 3 ,8 3 4 9 2 3 3 6 -2 6
A sso c ia te d eg ree 9 1 6 7 5 9 7 9 9 4 ,6 4 8 9 4 8 1 2 -3 1
B ach e lo r's d egree 3 0 4 0 5 5 1 0 5 8 2 9 1 1 ,5 2 7 1 0 2 4 3 0 -3 4
G rad u ate d eg ree 2 6 9 8 4 9 1 1 2 4 2 5 7 ,8 5 3 1 1 0 2 2 0 -2 2 1060859 30,824
Family Income (in U .S. d o llars)
L e s s th an 1 0 ,0 0 0 3 9 2 2 1 8 7 2 4 1 ,1 4 8 8 2 6 3 -4 6
1 0 ,0 0 0 - 2 0 ,0 00 7 7 7 3 4 9 0 7 8 2 ,9 4 6 8 8 2 9 -2 5
2 0 ,0 0 0 - 3 0 ,0 00 9 5 4 5 2 9 4 9 1 0 3 ,8 6 7 9 2 4 1 1 -2 5
3 0 ,0 0 0 - 4 0 ,0 00 1 1 4 5 5 7 9 8 3 1 2 4 ,8 4 2 9 6 0 1 4 -2 3
4 0 ,0 0 0 - 5 0 ,0 00 9 6 9 1 9 1 0 0 8 1 0 3 ,9 7 6 9 8 2 1 2 -2 6
5 0 ,0 0 0 - 6 0 ,0 00 1 0 0 1 1 9 1 0 2 6 1 1 3 ,9 5 2 9 9 5 1 1 -3 1
6 0 ,0 0 0 - 7 0 ,0 00 8 3 2 7 8 1 0 3 9 9 3 ,2 7 7 1 0 1 5 9 -2 4
7 0 ,0 0 0 - 8 0 ,0 00 7 6 2 4 6 1 0 5 4 8 2 ,8 7 6 1 0 3 2 8 -2 2
8 0 ,0 0 0 - 1 0 0 ,00 0 9 7 1 4 3 1 0 7 9 1 0 3 ,3 0 7 1 0 5 6 1 0 -2 3
M o re th an 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 1 4 6 3 1 9 1 1 2 9 1 6 4 ,3 4 8 1 0 9 7 1 3 -3 2
926988 34,539
Total C redits in S ix A cademic Subjects
2 0 o r m o re 4 7 8 0 8 5 1 0 9 5 5 0 1 5 ,4 0 6 1 0 6 3 4 7 -3 2
1 9 to 1 9 .5 1 1 0 5 0 8 1 0 1 1 1 2 3 ,9 0 0 9 8 8 1 2 -2 3
1 8 to 1 8 .5 1 0 0 4 2 1 9 8 4 1 1 3 ,7 1 9 9 5 8 1 1 -2 6
1 7 to 1 7 .5 7 8 6 9 6 9 5 7 8 3 ,0 2 0 9 3 2 9 -2 5
1 6 to 1 6 .5 6 2 2 4 9 9 4 4 7 2 ,2 9 6 9 2 0 7 -2 4
1 5 to 1 5 .5 4 6 9 3 1 9 3 6 5 1 ,6 8 0 9 1 0 5 -2 6
F ew e r th an 1 5 7 1 7 5 7 8 9 8 8 2 ,8 5 6 8 9 4 9 -4
948647 32,877
High School G rade Point A verage
A + (9 7 -1 0 0 ) 7 5 9 1 3 1 2 3 8 7 4 ,0 2 4 1 1 9 5 1 0 -4 3
A (9 3 -9 6 ) 1 7 5 2 8 4 1 1 4 9 1 6 7 ,3 3 7 1 0 9 0 1 9 -5 9
A - (9 0 -9 2 ) 1 8 1 7 8 3 1 0 9 3 1 7 6 ,0 9 5 1 0 3 3 1 6 -6 0
B (8 0 -8 9 ) 5 1 4 0 9 1 9 6 8 4 7 1 6 ,6 4 0 9 3 1 4 3 -3 7
C (7 0 -7 9 ) 1 3 2 0 1 1 8 5 4 1 2 4 ,5 7 7 8 2 1 1 2 -3 3
D o r b e low 4 2 9 6 8 1 1 0 1 4 5 7 6 3 0 -4 8
1083378 38,818
High School C lass R ank
T o p T en th 2 1 0 0 6 7 1 1 9 7 2 2 7 ,1 6 6 1 1 7 5 2 0 -2 2
S eco n d T en th 2 1 3 3 1 2 1 0 7 1 2 3 7 ,6 2 8 1 0 4 6 2 2 -2 5
S eco n d F ifth 2 5 0 3 3 6 9 9 3 2 7 9 ,6 2 4 9 6 3 2 7 -3 0
T h ird F ifth 2 1 7 0 3 6 9 0 8 2 3 8 ,9 0 9 8 7 7 2 5 -3 1
F o u rth F ifth 3 6 5 5 3 8 4 4 4 1 ,5 3 8 8 1 7 4 -2 7
L ow e s t F ifth 7 8 0 6 8 0 9 1 3 1 4 7 5 6 1 -5 3
935110 35,179
N otes: • A ll S ch o lastic A ssessm en t T es t s co res a re rep orted o n th e recen tered sco re sc a le (1 9 9 5).
• In th is tab le, U n ited S tates an d N o rth C aro lin a av erag e sco res in clu d e b o th p u b lic an d n o n -p u b lic sch o o l stu d en ts .
23
Table 5. United States and North Carolina Mean Total SAT Scores by Student Profile Characteristics
1997-2000
1997
US NC D iff. US NC Diff. US NC D iff. US NC Diff.
All S tudents 1016 978 -38 1017 981 -36 1016 986 -30 1019 988 -31
Sex
M ale 1037 996 -41 1040 1002 -38 1040 1006 -34 1040 1005 -35
F emale 997 963 -34 998 967 -31 997 969 -28 1002 976 -26
Race/Ethnicity
Am erican In d ian 950 900 -50 963 906 -57 965 900 -65 963 897 -66
A sian American 1056 1023 -33 1060 1014 -46 1058 1026 -32 1064 1024 -40
B lack 857 834 -23 860 839 -21 856 837 -19 860 835 -25
H ispanic 917 956 39 916 984 68 915 966 51 918 970 52
W hite 1052 1023 -29 1054 1026 -28 1055 1031 -24 1058 1035 -23
O th er 1026 1013 -13 1025 998 -27 1024 1005 -19 1023 1016 -7
Parent Education Level
N o h ig h sch o o l d ip lom a 853 832 -21 852 841 -11 850 843 -7 855 850 -5
H ig h sch o o l d ip lom a 950 919 -31 950 922 -28 950 924 -26 949 923 -26
A ssociate d eg ree 977 940 -37 980 948 -32 979 944 -35 979 948 -31
B achelo r's d eg ree 1054 1016 -38 1057 1016 -41 1056 1021 -35 1058 1024 -34
G raduate d eg ree 1116 1088 -28 1119 1095 -24 1121 1094 -27 1124 1102 -22
Family Income (in U .S. dolla rs)
L ess than 1 0 ,0 00 873 832 -41 873 836 -37 871 830 -41 872 826 -46
1 0 ,00 0-1 9 ,999 918 884 -34 914 885 -29 907 883 -24 907 882 -25
2 0 ,00 0-2 9 ,999 962 931 -31 959 929 -30 954 925 -29 949 924 -25
3 0 ,00 0-3 9 ,999 993 959 -34 992 961 -31 986 963 -23 983 960 -23
40 ,00 0-4 9 ,999 1015 982 -33 1015 983 -32 1011 985 -26 1008 982 -26
50 ,00 0-5 9 ,999 1033 1000 -33 1032 1000 -32 1030 1002 -28 1026 995 -31
60 ,00 0-6 9 ,999 1048 1014 -34 1046 1018 -28 1043 1014 -29 1039 1015 -24
M ore than 7 0 ,0 00 1098 1063 -35
7 0 ,00 0-8 0 ,000 A d d itional 1059 1027 -32 1058 1028 -30 1054 1032 -22
80 ,00 0-1 0 0 ,000 c a tego ries 1085 1060 -25 1082 1054 -28 1079 1056 -23
M ore than 1 0 0 ,000 b egin n ing in 1998 1131 1100 -31 1130 1102 -28 1129 1097 -32
Total C redits in S ix Subjects
2 0 o r m ore 1101 1062 -39 1096 1057 -39 1096 1061 -35 1095 1063 -32
1 9 o r 1 9 .5 1037 1007 -30 1016 993 -23 1012 987 -25 1011 988 -23
1 8 o r 1 8 .5 999 964 -35 982 957 -25 980 956 -24 984 958 -26
1 7 o r 1 7 .5 961 929 -32 948 923 -25 947 927 -20 957 932 -25
1 6 o r 1 6 .5 936 896 -40 926 898 -28 927 896 -31 944 920 -24
1 5 o r 1 5 .5 921 901 -20 913 887 -26 918 896 -22 936 910 -26
F ew er th an 1 5 883 883 0 890 888 -2 885 886 1 898 894 -4
High School G rade Point Average
A + (9 7 -1 0 0 ) 1243 1195 -48 1242 1191 -51 1240 1191 -49 1238 1195 -43
A (9 3 -96 ) 1153 1089 -64 1151 1091 -60 1149 1091 -58 1149 1090 -59
A - (90 -9 2 ) 1095 1033 -62 1096 1031 -65 1092 1030 -62 1093 1033 -60
B (8 0 -8 9 ) 971 926 -45 970 929 -41 968 928 -40 968 931 -37
C (7 0 -7 9 ) 860 824 -36 858 830 -28 855 827 -28 854 821 -33
D o r b elow (<7 0 ) 820 786 -34 819 768 -51 818 785 -33 811 763 -48
High S chool C lass R ank
T o p T en th 1195 1162 -33 1197 1170 -27 1197 1172 -25 1197 1175 -22
S econ d T en th 1070 1032 -38 1073 1038 -35 1071 1044 -27 1071 1046 -25
S econ d F ifth 992 955 -37 994 958 -36 993 961 -32 993 963 -30
T hird F ifth 906 869 -37 907 874 -33 907 877 -30 908 877 -31
F ou rth F ifth 848 807 -41 848 813 -35 846 811 -35 844 817 -27
L ow est F ifth 815 766 -49 811 774 -37 812 769 -43 809 756 -53
Notes: 1 . A ll S ch o la stic A s se ssm en t T e s t sco re s a re rep o rted o n the recen tered sco re scale (1995 ).
2 . A conversio n tab le p rov ided b y E ducational T estin g S ervice w as ap p lied to the n a tional and s tate sub gro u p m eans to
convert the o riginal m eans to the recen tered scale as d escrib ed in th e Introductio n .
1999
}
1 9 9 8 2 0 0 0
25
Performance of the 117 Public School Systems, Charter Schools,
North Carolina School of the Arts, and North Carolina School of
Science and
Mathematics
27
Number P ercent V erbal T otal
School S ystem Tested T ested Score Score
United States T otal 1 ,260 ,278 44.0 514 505 1019
North C arolina T otal 43,077 64.0 496 492 988
Alam ance-Burlington 671 67.1 489 478 967
R iv er M ill C h arter 7 1 00 .0 4 66 4 93 9 59
Alexander County 127 44.1 472 460 932
Alleghany County 48 55.8 479 481 960
Anson C ou n ty 95 40.9 448 439 887
Ashe C ou n ty 105 60.0 496 500 996
Avery County 81 58.7 519 488 1007
Beaufort C ounty 206 56.3 479 482 961
Bertie C ou n ty 137 57.8 411 399 810
Bladen C ounty 165 56.7 442 432 874
Brunswick C ou n ty 215 48.0 482 483 965
Buncom be C ounty 825 60.5 532 527 1059
A sh ev ille C ity 1 74 7 4.4 5 17 5 21 1 03 8
Burke C ounty 313 51.3 495 488 983
Cabarru s C ounty 668 65.0 512 501 1013
K annap o lis C ity 82 50.9 454 456 910
Caldwell County 236 38.3 503 498 1001
Camden C ounty 46 59.0 499 478 977
Carteret C o u n ty 296 67.6 495 499 994
Caswell C ou n ty 86 50.3 430 438 868
Catawba C ounty 423 51.5 518 492 1010
H ickory City 148 81.8 534 524 1058
Newto n -Conover 81 55.9 525 511 1036
Chatham County 205 64.7 494 489 983
W oods Charter 4 57.1 * * *
Cherokee C ounty 118 57.0 501 515 1016
Edento n /Chowan C ounty 62 41.1 478 493 971
Clay C ou n ty 42 62.7 519 513 1032
Cleveland C ounty 218 52.7 479 476 955
K ings M ountain 111 52.6 469 460 929
S h elby C ity 103 68.7 505 502 1007
Columbus C ounty 165 39.7 437 435 872
W h itev ille C ity 9 6 7 1.1 4 41 4 53 8 94
Craven C ounty 425 65.8 484 487 971
Cumberland County 1,322 50.9 475 485 960
Currituck C ounty 66 44.0 490 477 967
Dare C ounty 178 76.7 497 497 994
Davidson County 540 58.4 489 489 978
L ex ington C ity 65 45.8 470 486 956
T hom asv ille City 3 7 4 3.0 4 38 4 32 8 70
Davie County 172 61.6 503 499 1002
Math
Score
N otes: * S cores are no t report ed wh ere numb e r teste d wa s fe we r th an fiv e.
• A ll Schola st ic A ss es sment Tes t s co re s a re rep ort ed o n the rece n tere d sc o re s cale (1995).
• P erce n t tes ted i s c alc u lat ed as the nu mber of s tudent s t aking th e SA T in th e LEA d iv i ded by t he eighth
mon th, tw el fth grade memb ersh ip in the LEA .
Table 6. Mean SAT Scores for North Carolina’s Public Schools, 2000
28
Number P ercent Math V erbal T otal
School S ystem Tested T ested S core Score Score
United S tates T otal 1 ,260 ,278 44.0 514 505 1019
NC S tate Total 43,077 64.0 496 492 988
Duplin C ounty 246 60 .3 439 439 878
Durham C ou n ty 956 75.5 500 494 994
Edgecombe County 167 45.3 448 454 902
Winston-Salem/Forsy th C ou n ty 1 ,508 68.9 502 501 1003
Frank lin C ounty 167 45 .0 477 483 960
Gaston C ounty 840 55 .6 475 474 949
Gates C o u n ty 71 68.9 440 462 902
Graham C ounty 43 59.7 519 461 980
Gran v ille C ou n ty 1 44 4 5.1 4 87 4 84 9 71
Greene C ounty 71 45.5 454 460 914
Greensb o ro M ath an d S cience Cntr 7 NA 414 484 898
Guilford County 2,309 73 .8 504 495 999
Halifax C ou n ty 146 49.2 383 377 760
R oanoke Rap id s C ity 94 54.7 495 485 980
W eldon C ity 37 53.6 356 368 724
Harnett C ou n ty 314 47.4 479 481 960
Haywood County 207 52.3 510 499 1009
Henderson C ounty 404 63 .8 520 518 1038
Hertford C ounty 116 49 .4 378 392 770
Hoke C o u n ty 100 40.2 427 427 854
Hyde C o u n ty 22 51.2 438 473 911
Ired ell-Statesv ille 385 4 8.5 5 02 4 93 9 95
M ooresv ille C ity 135 61 .1 528 526 1054
Jackson County 128 66 .7 498 497 995
Johnston C ou n ty 472 53.0 492 478 970
Jones County 49 54.4 404 430 834
Lee C ounty 232 51 .8 495 468 963
Lenoir C ounty 264 60.0 479 471 950
Lincoln C o u n ty 315 52.8 472 469 941
Macon County 149 66 .8 505 492 997
Mad ison County 65 52.4 472 492 964
Martin C ounty 173 59 .9 444 438 882
McDowell County 165 45.7 507 495 1002
Charlotte-Mecklenb u rg County 3,569 71.9 497 492 989
Mitchell C ou n ty 61 45.2 504 513 1017
Mon tgomery C ounty 85 36.8 467 464 931
Moo re County 332 54.6 495 495 990
Nash-Rocky M ount 442 51.6 482 475 957
New H anover C ounty 809 66.4 504 503 1007
NC S chool o f Science an d Math 245 NA 671 649 1320
NC S chool o f the A rts 88 NA 536 581 1117
Northam pton County 102 51 .5 396 402 798
N otes: * S cores are no t report ed wh ere numb e r teste d wa s fe we r th an fiv e.
• A ll Schola st ic A ss es sment Tes t s co re s a re rep ort ed o n the rece n tere d sc o re s cale (1995).
• P erce n t tes ted i s c alc u lat ed as the nu mber of s tudent s t aking th e SA T in th e LEA d iv i ded by t he eighth
mon th, tw el fth grade memb ersh ip in the LEA .
Table 6 (Continued). Mean SAT Scores for North Carolina’s Public Schools, 2000
29
Table 6 (Continued). Mean SAT Scores for North Carolina’s Public Schools, 2000
Number P ercent Math V erbal T otal
School S ystem Tested T ested Score Score Score
United States T otal 1 ,260 ,278 44.0 514 505 1019
NC State Total 43,077 64.0 496 492 988
Onslow C ou n ty 594 53.5 492 483 975
Orange C ounty 218 71.2 501 493 994
C h ap el Hill-Carrb oro 4 60 9 0.6 5 92 5 83 1 17 5
N ew Century Charter 8 53.3 575 545 1120
Pamlico C ounty 54 39.4 489 492 981
Elizabeth C ity/Pasquo tank C ounty 164 62.6 443 450 893
Pender County 180 54.2 462 474 936
Perquimans C ou n ty 54 50.5 443 460 903
Person C ou n ty 155 57.4 470 471 941
Pitt C o un ty 6 56 6 3.6 5 08 4 94 1 00 2
R ight S te p Academ y 2 14 .3 * * *
P o lk C ounty 59 50.4 479 494 973
Randolph County 304 41.8 493 486 979
A sheb o ro C ity 132 70.2 517 500 1017
Richmond C ounty 196 50.6 448 443 891
Robeson County 469 44.3 431 427 858
Rockingham C ounty 386 56.0 487 479 966
Rowan -Salisb u ry 509 47.6 494 492 986
Rutherford C ounty 275 52.2 476 472 948
Sampson C ounty 192 50.4 432 440 872
C lin to n City 1 23 7 1.9 4 54 4 41 8 95
Sco tland C ounty 201 64.0 463 445 908
L au rin bu rg C ha rte r 3 1 3.6 * * *
S tanly C ounty 380 63.0 486 461 947
S tokes County 125 37.3 483 473 956
Surry County 157 43.7 492 486 978
E lkin C ity 43 59.7 506 501 1007
M ou n t A iry C ity 58 52.3 522 509 1031
Sw ain County 54 56.3 486 501 987
Transylvania C ounty 154 64.2 496 508 1004
Tyrrell County 27 50.9 457 453 910
Union County 663 65.5 492 499 991
Vance County 164 57.1 427 431 858
Wake C ounty 3 ,860 77.9 539 522 1061
Q uest Academ y 2 100.0 * * *
Warren C ou n ty 79 61.7 440 446 886
Washin g ton C ounty 103 59.9 415 421 836
Watauga County 224 71 .3 530 524 1054
Wayne C ou n ty 539 51.0 467 466 933
Wilkes C ounty 236 50.3 502 489 991
Wilson County 310 51.0 474 469 943
Yadkin C ounty 156 48.6 469 467 936
Yancey C ounty 64 44.4 518 508 1026
N otes: * S cores are no t rep ort ed wh ere numb e r tes te d wa s fewe r th an five.
• A ll S chola st ic A sses sment Tes t s core s a re report ed o n the rece n tere d sc ore s cal e (1995).
• P erce n t t es ted i s c alc u lat ed as the nu mber of s tudent s t ak ing the SA T in th e LEA divided by the ei ghth
mon th, tw el fth grade memb ersh ip in the LEA .
30
Table 7. Distribution of North Carolina Public School Systems by Mean SAT Scores, 2000
Nor th C a rolina Mean Schoo l S ystem
1320 N.C. School of Science and Mathematics
…
1180 Chapel H ill-Carrboro City
...
1120 New C entury**, N .C. School of the Arts
...
1070 Wake
1060 Buncom be, H ickory C ity, M ooresville C ity, W atau ga
...
1040 Asheville C ity, C lay, Henderson, M ount A iry C ity, New ton Conover City
1030 Yancey
2000 U nited States 1020 Asheboro C ity, C ab arrus, Ch ero kee, M itch ell
1019 1010 Avery, C aldwell, C atawba, Davie, E lkin City, H aywood, M cDowell, N ew H anover, Pitt, Shelby C ity, T ransylv ania,
Winston -Salem/Forsyth
1000 Ashe, C arteret, Dare, D urham, G uilford, Iredell-Statesville, Jackson, Macon, Orange, U nion, W ilkes
2000 N orth C arolina 990 Burke, C harlotte/M ecklenburg, C hatham, M oore, Pamlico, R owan-Salisbury, Swain
988 980 Camden, C raven, D avidson, Edenton/Chowan, G raham, Granville, O nslow, Polk, R andolph, Roanoke R apid s C ity, Su rry
970 Alamance-Burlington, B eaufort, Brunsw ick, C urrituck, Johnston, L ee, M adison, R ockingham
960 Alleghany, C leveland, C umberland, Franklin, H arnett, Lexingto n C ity , Nash-Ro cky M ount, R iver M ill Charter**, Stokes
950 Gaston, Lenoir, L incoln, Person, R utherford, Stanly, W ilson
940 Alexander, M ontgom ery, Pend er, Wayne, Y adkin
930 Kings Mountain C ity
920 Greene, H yde
910 Edgecom be, Gates, K annapolis C ity, Perq uimans, Scotland, Tyrrell
900 Clinton C ity, Elizab eth C ity/Pasquotank, Greensboro M ath and Science C enter, R ichmond, W hiteville C ity
890 Anson, M artin, Warren
880 Bladen, C olumbus, D uplin , Sampson
870 Caswell, T homasville C ity
860 Hoke, R obeson , V ance
...
840 Jones, W ashington
...
810 Bertie
800 Northampton
...
770 Hertford
760 Halifax
...
730 Weldon C ity
Notes: • All S ch o lastic A ssessment T est sco res are reported o n the recen tered sco re scale (19 9 5 ).
• Data w ere not rep o rted for L au rin b u rg, Q u est A cadem y , R ight S tep A cadem y, and W oods C harter b ecause the number tested w as less than five.
* *Den otes a ch arter sch oo l.
Performance of the Fifty States
31
33
Table 8. Mean Verbal, Mathematics, and Total SAT Scores by State, 2000
Percent Mean
State Tested* Verbal Mathematics Total
Alabama 9 559 555 1114
Alaska 50 519 515 1034
Arizona 34 521 523 1044
Arkansas 6 563 554 1117
Californ ia 49 497 518 1015
Colorado 32 534 537 1071
Connecticu t 81 508 509 1017
Delaware 66 502 496 998
District o f C olumbia 89 494 486 980
Florida 55 498 500 998
Georg ia 64 488 486 974
Hawaii 53 488 519 1007
Idaho 16 540 541 1081
Illinois 12 568 586 1154
Indiana 60 498 501 999
Iowa 5 589 600 1189
Kansas 9 574 580 1154
Ken tucky 12 548 550 1098
Louisiana 8 562 558 1120
Maine 68 504 500 1004
Maryland 65 507 509 1016
Massachusetts 78 511 513 1024
Michigan 11 557 569 1126
Minnesota 9 581 594 1175
Mississippi 4 562 549 1111
Missouri 8 572 577 1149
Montana 23 543 546 1089
Nebraska 9 560 571 1131
Nevada 34 510 517 1027
New H ampshire 72 520 519 1039
New Jersey 81 498 513 1011
New M ex ico 12 549 543 1092
New Y ork 77 494 506 1000
North C arolina 64 492 496 988
North D akota 4 588 609 1197
Ohio 26 533 539 1072
Oklahom a 8 563 560 1123
Oregon 54 527 527 1054
Pennsy lvan ia 70 498 497 995
Rhode Island 71 505 500 1005
South C arolina 59 484 482 966
South D akota 4 587 588 1175
Tennessee 13 563 553 1116
Texas 52 493 500 993
Utah 5 570 569 1139
Vermont 70 513 508 1021
Virginia 67 509 500 1009
Washington 52 526 528 1054
West V irginia 19 526 511 1037
Wisconsin 7 584 597 1181
Wyom ing 12 545 545 1090
United S tates 44 505 514 1019
Notes: * P ercent tested is from T he C ollege B oard
• S cholastic A ssessment T est scores a re reported on the recen tered score scale (1995).
• In this table, U nited S tates and N orth C arolina average scores include both public and p rivate schoo
Notes: * P ercent tested is from The College Board reports. The C ollege B oard b ased percent tested on the
p ro jection of h igh schoo l graduates in 2000 by the W estern Interstate C ommission on Higher
Education , and num ber o f students in the C lass o f 2000 wh o took the SAT I: R easo n ing T est.
Updated projections make it inappropriate to compare percentages for this year with those o f
p revious years.
• Scholastic A ssessment T est scores are reported on the recentered score scale (1995).
• In this tab le, U nited States and N orth C arolina average sco res include b o th public and p rivate
school studen ts.
34
Table 9. Change in Mean Total SAT Score by State, 1990-2000
State
Percent
Tested*
Mean Total
SAT Score
1990
Mean Total
SAT Score
2000
Change from 1990
to 2000
Alabama 9 1079 1114 35
Alaska 50 1015 1034 19
Arizona 34 1041 1044 3
Arkansas 6 1077 1117 40
Californ ia 49 1002 1015 13
Colorado 32 1067 1071 4
Connecticu t 81 1002 1017 15
Delaware 66 1006 998 -8
District o f C olumbia 89 950 980 30
Florida 55 988 998 10
Georg ia 64 951 974 23
Hawaii 53 985 1007 22
Idaho 16 1066 1081 15
Illinois 12 1089 1154 65
Indiana 60 972 999 27
Iowa 5 1172 1189 17
Kansas 9 1129 1154 25
Ken tucky 12 1089 1098 9
Louisiana 8 1088 1120 32
Maine 68 991 1004 13
Maryland 65 1008 1016 8
Massachusetts 78 1001 1024 23
Michigan 11 1063 1126 63
Minnesota 9 1110 1175 65
Mississippi 4 1090 1111 21
Missouri 8 1089 1149 60
Montana 23 1082 1089 7
Nebraska 9 1121 1131 10
Nevada 34 1022 1027 5
New H ampshire 72 1028 1039 11
New Jersey 81 993 1011 18
New M ex ico 12 1100 1092 -8
New Y ork 77 985 1000 15
North C arolina 64 948 988 40
North D akota 4 1157 1197 40
Ohio 26 1048 1072 24
Oklahom a 8 1095 1123 28
Oregon 54 1024 1054 30
Pennsy lvan ia 70 987 995 8
Rhode Island 71 986 1005 19
South C arolina 59 942 966 24
South D akota 4 1150 1175 25
Tennessee 13 1102 1116 14
Texas 52 979 993 14
Utah 5 1121 1139 18
Vermont 70 1000 1021 21
Virginia 67 997 1009 12
Washington 52 1024 1054 30
West V irginia 19 1034 1037 3
Wisconsin 7 1111 1181 70
Wyom ing 12 1072 1090 18
United S tates 44 1001 1019 18
Notes: * P ercent tested is from The College Board reports. The C ollege B oard b ased p ercent tested on the
p ro jection o f h igh schoo l graduates in 2000 by the W estern Interstate C ommission on Higher
Education , and num ber o f students in the C lass o f 2000 w ho took the SAT I: R easo n ing T est.
Updated projections make it inappropriate to compare p ercentages for this year with those o f
p revious years.
• Scholastic A ssessmen t T est scores a re reported on the recen tered score scale (1995).
• In this table, U nited States and N orth C arolina average sco res include both public and p rivate
school studen ts.