Berkeley County Schools’ AP and SAT scores
September 19, 2015
MONCKS CORNER, SC – The South Carolina State Department of Education announced the results of each district’s Advanced Placement (AP) and SAT assessments, and results show that Berkeley County School District continues to increase its number of test takers. The district also was named to the 5th AP District Honor Roll because of its efforts during the 2013-2014 school year, achieving increases in access to AP courses for a larger number of students while maintaining or improving the rate at which AP students earned scores of 3 or higher on an AP exam.
“Considering the percentage increase in the number of students taking both AP courses, and therefore exams, as well as the ACT, I am pleased with our increased level of performance on those two assessments over the last several years. It is extremely difficult to have such a large percentage increase in AP test takers, especially, while maintaining a high passage rate,” said Berkeley County School District Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Kevin O’Gorman.
AP Highlights
Since 2012, Berkeley County School District has increased the number of AP exams taken by 350, while also increasing its passage rate from 43 percent to 48 percent. The six-year data shows an even more drastic increase in the number of AP exams taken by students within the district. In 2009, students took 372 exams, but in 2015, students took 1,368 exams. Passage rates with scores of three to five have increased from less than 20 percent in 2009, to approximately 48 percent in 2015.
Commenting on the district being named as an AP Honor Roll District, O’Gorman said, “I am extremely proud of the district for being named to the 5th AP District Honor Roll. We at Berkeley County School District remain focused on preparing our students for college and careers by offering rigorous and relevant course work. We have expanded access to AP courses throughout the district, and the results of that expansion can be seen in the number of students taking AP exams and passing.”
AP exams scores of three indicate a candidate who is qualified to take college-level courses. Scores of four indicate someone who is well qualified and a five indicates someone who is extremely well qualified. Many community colleges and universities grant credit and advanced placements for exam scores of three, four or five.
SAT Highlights
Like the increase the district experienced in AP test takers, the number of students who took the SAT in 2015 also increased. In 2014, 562 students took the SAT, but in 2015, 574 students took the exam. In addition, almost all of the students in the district who took the SAT also took the ACT.
Although the district’s composite score slightly decreased from 2014 to 2015, the decrease was comparable to the decline in scores experienced by both the state and the entire nation. Even with the decrease, the district’s composite score of 1422 was within the range of the state’s composite score of public education students, 1428.
The SAT is a standardized test that is more of an aptitude test, measuring testing reasoning and verbal abilities. Often used in college admissions processes, the exam is used to assess a student’s readiness for college. The current test consists of three 800-point sections testing English/Language Arts, Mathematics and Writing. Most students take the test, which is offered several times per year, during their junior or senior year of high school.
ACT Highlights
Currently, 47 percent of high school seniors in Berkeley County School District take the ACT. The number of students who have taken the test since 2008 has almost doubled, with 552 students taking the exam in 2008 and 990 students taking it in 2015. Not only has the district seen an increase in the number of students taking the ACT, but the district’s five-year trend data shows an improvement that surpasses that of the state’s results in all subject areas.
Additionally, 10 years ago, Berkeley County School District student’s scores were significantly lower than the state average. In 2015, students within the district scored just three-tenths of a point below the state average, despite the large increase in the number of students taking the exam.
The ACT is an achievement test that consists of subtests of educational development in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science, and measures what a student has learned in school. ACT scores range from 1 to 36 for each of the four tests and the composite. The composite score is the average of the four test scores.
