Pitfalls of Using SAT Results to Compare Schools

Abstract

Public reports and comparisons of school SAT results are on the rise. This study uses a simple model of schooling to address two questions which are raised by school SAT comparisons. How are the demographic and academic characteristics of the student population in schools related to participation in the SAT? How are participation rates and the demographic characteristics of the sample of test-takers and of their schools related to SAT performance? School participation was associated with parent education, achievement, and English language fluency. The relationship between participation and parent education was curvilinear. School SAT scores were positively correlated with participation and parent education of the test-takers as well as with overall twelfth-grade school-average achievement and demographic characteristics. After adjustment for school demographic characteristics, participation rates were negatively associated with scores. School-average achievement was associated with SAT performance even after adjusting for demographic characteristics. These findings illustrate some of the complex relationships between the demographic characteristics of students and performance on the SAT which should be considered when making school comparisons.