Another Seattle Schools Survey? Yup, This Time on the SAT

 Recently, I had a Seattle friend with kids in SPS who said her child could not find out about taking the SAT. 

Then today, I was sent a link to a survey on the SAT in SPS that is due to end on Feb. 9th. I assume all high school parents received it but I don't know. The district says:

Seattle Public Schools is interested in learning more about the needs and expectations of students and families in regard to the SAT. The SAT is an entrance exam used by some colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is also a way for students to meet state graduation requirements. The SAT is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test created and administered by the College Board.

Historically SPS has offered a school day SAT (all students are automatically registered and take the SAT during the school day) to 11th graders in the spring of each year; due to the COVID-19 pandemic SPS was unable to offer the assessment in 2020 and 2021. To reduce the impact to students and their families, SPS offered a school day SAT/PSAT in the Fall 2021 to 12th, 11th, and 10th graders.

SPS is considering not offering a spring 2022 school day SAT to 11th graders and moving annual administration of the PSAT/SAT to Fall 2022. Before a final decision is made, SPS wants to here from you! Please take a few minutes to complete this survey.
Thank you!

There are just 5 questions and you can do a print-out of your answers. (To note, the survey is somewhat shorter if you are in 12th grade or 9/10th. )

Here's the section that I found somewhat problematic:

3.
I am in 11th grade and agree with the following selected statements. (Select all that are applicable.) 

- I want to take SAT during the school day this Spring.
- I want to take the SAT during the school day in 12th grade--School Year 2022-23..
- I need a fee voucher to take the SAT on a Saturday in Seattle.
- I can pre-register on my own and take the SAT at a specific SPS school; this may not be my high school.
- SPS does not need to offer school day PSAT/SAT, because colleges and universities don't require the SAT for admission.

That last statement? It's just not true. Many colleges and universities HAVE dropped the SAT as a requirement but not all. They should not have phrased that statement as an absolute. 

Also, they mention taking the SAT on a Saturday but only in terms of a fee voucher. Not sure I understand that statement.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Once again, a fail on the part of SPS and their surveys. I suppose that this is their way of saying they have captured appropriate community engagement but neither our family nor our student has received any kind of survey related to SATs. And thank you for pointing out the misinformation that is being included. New day, same problem. SPS.
-skeptical parent
Anonymous said…
I always look at surveys and think "what are they going to do with each possible response"? In this one, it's not outside the realm of probability that people are going to select all five because it's "select all that are applicable" and I'm not positive the average 11th grader is going to be able to evaluate all of these separately. With this result, you'll get that rare student unicorn who wants to take the test in school this year and/or next, and/or on Saturday if someone will give them a voucher, or is even willing to pay for it themselves even if they don't get to take it at their high school (they must really love the SAT!, but also may feel that the whole thing is unnecessary because colleges don't require it. Good luck with planning after this survey...

Survey Says
Anonymous said…
Seems to be survey fever lately. The district (or Board?) sought input on how families felt about weighing in on a vaccine mandate for students, with OSPI. I saw that one too late to comment, I wish the communication was better, I have many feelings about that one! So many families are not vaccinating, I don’t see that going well.

Blue Pill
Anonymous said…
“ Before a final decision is made, SPS wants to here from you! ”

They want to “here” from us? Eyeroll. Kill “too” birds with one stone.

Community engagement. Check.
Get rid of tools that reveal racial achievement gap. Check.

Change that matters. FAIL

Pink Pill
Transparency Needed said…
What is going on? The district's web page doesn't indicate changes to SAT offerings. I hope board members address this issue during board comments.
The person at SPS to contact is Caleb Perkins ( cbperkins@seattleschools.org )

He is SPS’s Executive Director of College and Career Readiness. My understanding from asking my son's high school is that he is driving this from a Curriculum and Instruction perspective.

I wrote him a letter, and I hope it will make a difference.
Transparency Needed said…
C and I had College and Career Readiness on the Agenda. Minutes are not avaiable. It seems to me that SAT results would provide another data point. There is a staggering amount of high level and highly paid administrators that attend C and I meetings.

OSPI has finally uploaded test results and results are abysmal.

Ballard High School: Only 39% of students are meeting math standards.

https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/101071

Rainier Beach: 10 % of students met math standards and 28% met ELA standards

https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/101125

Franklin High School: Only 22% students met math standards
https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/101062

Mercer Middle School: 33% students meet math standards.

https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/101117

South Shore receives $21K per student and only 20% are passing math.

https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/101173

It is safe to say that students won't be college ready and the board/ district need to increase their focus.

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

Breaking It Down: Where the District Might Close Schools

Education News Roundup