Opinion
Assessment Letter to the Editor

Multiple-Choice Test: Why Are SAT and ACT Scores Dropping?

September 22, 2015 1 min read
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To the Editor:

Regarding your article “SAT-ACT Performance for 2015 Graduates Called ‘Disappointing,’ ” here is a quiz for readers.

SAT and ACT scores have “mostly held steady or dropped for the last five years” because of (choose as many as applicable):

a) poorly designed federal and state policy

b) inappropriate accountability measures

c) declining state and local funding

d) underprepared teachers

e) proliferation of smartphones and social media

f) overemphasis on high school sports

g) doubts about the return-on-investment of college

h) preoccupation with the Common Core State Standards

i) overemphasis on testing

j) insufficient school choice

k) income inequality

l) (and/or) _____________

m) all of the above

James H. Lytle

Professor

Graduate School of Education

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pa.

Related Tags:
ACT Opinion

A version of this article appeared in the September 23, 2015 edition of Education Week as Multiple-Choice Test: Why Are SAT and ACT Scores Dropping?

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