UPDATE on "My assigned HS has the worst SAT scores in FCPS..."

[Anonymous]

So the new sliced and diced SAT stats are out.

Good news for Hayfield (which previously had the worst scores for white kids in all of FCPS, and close to the worst for Asian and Black kids)!

Hayfield increased scores by nearly 100 points for the white kids average. It's still not in the top half compared to white kids at other Fairfax County high schools, but it is a significant improvement and no longer the worst for white kids in the county. In addition, the average score for black kids at Hayfield is higher than the average score for black kids at Madison (it's true), South County, South Lakes, Centerville, Chantilly, Edison, and McLean (no kidding), Westfield and Woodson. The average score for Asian kids actually decreased from the previous year, so not a lot of impressive comparisons there.

Interestingly, white kids at South Lakes had an average score just 20 points (!) lower than white kids at Oakton. THAT's IMPRESSIVE. Yet, South Lakes gets the "bad school" label from nearly everyone b/c the overall South Lakes SAT average (all kids combined) is 1608 and the overall Oakton average is 1771. The difference is due to the fact that Asian kids at Oakton scored 225 points higher than Asian kids at South Lakes, and black kids at Oakton scored 250 points higher than black kids at South Lakes. In my mind, if any one group can do well at a school, it seems like the school itself is providing the opportunity for a good education. Kudos to South Lakes! In fact, white kids at South Lakes scored on average higher than white kids at every other FCPS except for: Langley, McLean, Madison, Oakton and Woodson.

Hope you enjoyed today's statistics!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the new sliced and diced SAT stats are out.

Good news for Hayfield (which previously had the worst scores for white kids in all of FCPS, and close to the worst for Asian and Black kids)!

Hayfield increased scores by nearly 100 points for the white kids average. It's still not in the top half compared to white kids at other Fairfax County high schools, but it is a significant improvement and no longer the worst for white kids in the county. In addition, the average score for black kids at Hayfield is higher than the average score for black kids at Madison (it's true), South County, South Lakes, Centerville, Chantilly, Edison, and McLean (no kidding), Westfield and Woodson. The average score for Asian kids actually decreased from the previous year, so not a lot of impressive comparisons there.

Interestingly, white kids at South Lakes had an average score just 20 points (!) lower than white kids at Oakton. THAT's IMPRESSIVE. Yet, South Lakes gets the "bad school" label from nearly everyone b/c the overall South Lakes SAT average (all kids combined) is 1608 and the overall Oakton average is 1771. The difference is due to the fact that Asian kids at Oakton scored 225 points higher than Asian kids at South Lakes, and black kids at Oakton scored 250 points higher than black kids at South Lakes. In my mind, if any one group can do well at a school, it seems like the school itself is providing the opportunity for a good education. Kudos to South Lakes! In fact, white kids at South Lakes scored on average higher than white kids at every other FCPS except for: Langley, McLean, Madison, Oakton and Woodson.

Hope you enjoyed today's statistics!

Glad it makes you feel good. When you slice and dice, there's usually something for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Sounds good. Where did you find the stats?

[Anonymous]

You have to look under the profile for each school, then test scores, then the link for SAT scores.

It's kind of buried, but great info. on each school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the new sliced and diced SAT stats are out.

Good news for Hayfield (which previously had the worst scores for white kids in all of FCPS, and close to the worst for Asian and Black kids)!

Hayfield increased scores by nearly 100 points for the white kids average. It's still not in the top half compared to white kids at other Fairfax County high schools, but it is a significant improvement and no longer the worst for white kids in the county. In addition, the average score for black kids at Hayfield is higher than the average score for black kids at Madison (it's true), South County, South Lakes, Centerville, Chantilly, Edison, and McLean (no kidding), Westfield and Woodson. The average score for Asian kids actually decreased from the previous year, so not a lot of impressive comparisons there.

Interestingly, white kids at South Lakes had an average score just 20 points (!) lower than white kids at Oakton. THAT's IMPRESSIVE. Yet, South Lakes gets the "bad school" label from nearly everyone b/c the overall South Lakes SAT average (all kids combined) is 1608 and the overall Oakton average is 1771. The difference is due to the fact that Asian kids at Oakton scored 225 points higher than Asian kids at South Lakes, and black kids at Oakton scored 250 points higher than black kids at South Lakes. In my mind, if any one group can do well at a school, it seems like the school itself is providing the opportunity for a good education. Kudos to South Lakes! In fact, white kids at South Lakes scored on average higher than white kids at every other FCPS except for: Langley, McLean, Madison, Oakton and Woodson.

Hope you enjoyed today's statistics!

However, what is the percentage of students who took the SAT? At South Lakes, it appears that only about 82% of 12th graders took the SATs. At other schools like Madison, 92% took the test. In Oakton, almost 90% took the test. One would have to infer that those not taking the tests are going to be the lower scorers, in general.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the logic of percentage of people taking the test is applicable b/c only those kids who are college bound or at least considering college are taking the test.

Clearly, you are going to have more kids going on to college at a higher-income, less-diverse school such as Oakton; and fewer kids taking a test in a school with a larger proportion of low-income kids.

So, in terms of comparing how well different hs are preparing kids for college, it IS accurate to compare only those who took the test (b/c they have identified themselves as intending to go to college). So, South Lakes and Oakton may be different in the school culture/environment, but it looks like they are pretty darn similar in providing the opportunity for a good college prep education.