State Mean SAT Score as a Function of Participation Rate and Other Educational and Demographic Variables

The present study examined the impact of participation rate and nine other educational and demographic variables on state mean scores for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Participation rate, defined as the percentage of a state's high school seniors taking the SAT represented by the z-score mean of a truncated normal distribution, was the most important single predictor of state mean SAT score, accounting for 77% of the total variance in mean scores. The inclusion of significant educational and demographic variables raised the proportion of variance explained to 94%. The fallacy of comparing the mean standardized test scores of different locations or time periods without taking participation rate into account is discussed.     

Sources of Uncertainty Often Ignored in Adjusting State Mean SAT Scores for Differential Participation Rates: The Rules of the Game

In this article, we examine two attempts to adjust state mean Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for differential participation rates. We show that both attempts can be rejected because of overly stringest identifying conditions in the estimation equations, as well as because within-state SAT score distributions indicate that the selection model employed is too restrictive. We suggest that attempts to do such adjustments ought to follow five simple rules. Adherence to these rules will foster follow-up checks on untested assumptions. We also suggest that soon-to-be available National Assessment of Educational Progress OIJAEP) state data is a better way to make state comparisons.     

The Primary Classification Test

ABSTRACT

The authors sought to better understand the relationship between students participating in the Advanced Placement (AP) program and subsequent performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Focusing on students graduating from U.S. public high schools in 2010, the authors used propensity scores to match junior year AP examinees in 3 subjects to similar students who did not take any AP exams in high school. Multilevel regression models with these matched samples demonstrate a mostly positive relationship between AP exam participation and senior year SAT performance, particularly for students who score a 3 or higher. Students who enter into the AP year with relatively lower initial achievement are predicted to perform slightly better on later SAT tests than students with similar initial achievement who do not participate in AP.     

Class size and achievement in introductory economics: Evidence from the TUCE III data

Does class size affect achievement in introductory economics? This paper addresses this question using a national economic education data base (TUCE III), consolidating these data so that each observation represents a single class rather than a single student, thereby alleviating several estimation problems that plague empirical work in this area. Our results indicate that class size does not affect student achievement, and further, that class characteristics over which instructors or department chairs have control also do not influence achievement. These results are remarkably robust to different specifications, so long as students' Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores are used to control for ability and account is taken of whether the TUCE test result counted toward the students' final grade.     

A structural model of algebra achievement: computational fluency and spatial visualisation as mediators of the effect of working memory on algebra achievement

The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a structural model of the relations among cognitive abilities and arithmetic skills and college students’ algebra achievement. The model of algebra achievement was compared to a model of performance on the Scholastic Assessment in Mathematics (SAT‐M) to determine whether the pattern of relations is similar for different types of higher level maths achievement. Structural equation modelling was used to test the effects of working memory, 3D spatial ability, and computational fluency on both types of higher order maths achievement. Computational fluency had the strongest effect on algebra achievement, with 3D spatial ability and working memory showing moderate effects. In contrast, 3D spatial ability had a stronger effect on SAT‐M scores than did computational fluency. Computational fluency and 3D spatial ability completely mediated the effect of working memory for both algebra and SAT‐M achievement.     

Selection bias in college admissions test scores

Data from college admissions tests can provide a valuable measure of student achievement, but the non-representativeness of test-takers is an important concern. We examine selectivity bias in both state-level and school-level SAT and ACT averages. The degree of selectivity may differ importantly across and within schools, and across and within states. To identify within-state selectivity, we use a control function approach that conditions on scores from a representative test. Estimates indicate strong selectivity of test-takers in “ACT states,” where most college-bound students take the ACT, and much less selectivity in SAT states. To identify within- and between-school selectivity, we take advantage of a policy reform in Illinois that made taking the ACT a graduation requirement. Estimates based on this policy change indicate substantial positive selection into test participation both across and within schools. Despite this, school-level averages of observed scores are extremely highly correlated with average latent scores, as across-school variation in sample selectivity is small relative to the underlying signal. As a result, in most contexts the use of observed school mean test scores in place of latent means understates the degree of between-school variation in achievement but is otherwise unlikely to lead to misleading conclusions.     

Selectivity bias and the determinants of SAT scores

The determinants of state-wide average SAT scores are estimated for 1982 in a regression analysis which corrects for the proportion of students taking the test. The selectivity correction has a large impact on the estimates of the effects of other variables. Little effect of schooling variables (teachers' salaries, teachers per pupil, other expenditures) is found in the selectivity-adjusted estimates, except that large schools seem to depress SAT scores and private schools enhance scores. State-wide high school graduation standards also do not explain SAT score variation. In contrast, several demographic variables are quite important, including family size, the college-educated fraction of the population, and female-headed households. We can explain some of the SAT score decline in the 1970s with these cross-section estimates, suggesting that the decline over time is not due to changing resources for schooling but, in part, to changing demographics. In particular, a large part of the recent SAT score decline was caused by the large families of the post-war baby boom.     

Comparisons between talent search students qualifying via scores on standardized tests and via parent nomination

This study examined differences between students who qualified for talent search testing via scores on standardized tests and via parent nomination in their performances on the SAT or ACT and some demographic characteristics. Overall, the standardized testing group earned higher scores on the off‐level tests than the parent nominated group. Asian students used parent nomination more than standardized tests for talent search testing, and Hispanic/Latino students in the parent nominated group but not in the standardized testing group were among the top performers on the off‐level tests. Parent nomination as a feasible alternative to standardized achievement tests is suggested for talented students who are not native English speakers or would not be identified as gifted using traditional qualification methods.     

Recency of Secondary School Mathematical Preparation as an Influence on First-Year College Mathematics Achievement

Abstract

A random sample of four hundred college freshman mathematics students with comparable high school mathematical preparation was selected from 1,435 students. The test group included 126 members who had not attempted a mathematics course during their last year in high school, designated as Group N, and 263 members who had received mathematical credit during their last year, designated as Group Y. Statistical treatment of data for each group indicated that the SAT mathematical aptitude scores, CEEB (Level I) mathematical achievement scores, and achievement in first-year college mathematics courses was greater for Group Y at the .01 level of confidence. The achievement comparison was based on an analysis of covariance procedure with SAT Mathematical scores, CEEB Mathematical scores, and sex of student used as adjusting variables.     

Can High School Achievement Tests Serve to Select College Students?

Postsecondary schools have traditionally relied on admissions tests such as the SAT and ACT to select students. With high school achievement assessments in place in many states, it is important to ascertain whether scores from those exams can either supplement or supplant conventional admissions tests. In this study we examined whether the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) high school tests could serve as a useful predictor of college performance. Stepwise regression analyses with a predetermined order of variable entry revealed that AIMS generally did not account for additional performance variation when added to high school grade-point average (HSGPA) and SAT. However, in a cohort of students that took the test for graduation purposes, AIMS did account for about the same proportion of variance as SAT when added to a model that included HSGPA. The predictive value of both SAT and AIMS was generally the same for Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian American students. The ramifications of universities using high school achievement exams as predictors of college success, in addition to or in lieu of traditional measures, are discussed.     

An ecological explanation of factors associated with the demise of independent liberal arts II colleges

Recent demographic trends and growth in the public sector of higher education have created severe strains for many private liberal arts colleges. The population ecology model, which explains the survival or demise of organizations in terms of their ability to negotiate for resources in their environment, provides a framework for assessing predictors of continued success among colleges. A three-way discriminant analysis based on the population ecology framework and other empirical research led to the successful classification of almost 72% of a sample of colleges in terms of their experiences during the 1970s. Number of departments, median state income, library holdings per enrollee, sectarian affiliation, annual tuition, Roman Catholic affiliation, and SAT composite score were found to be major predictors.     

Cross‐time attitudes,concept formation,and achievement in college freshman physics

The relationships among science and engineering attitude, physics conceptual understanding, and physics achievement were explored for a population of college freshman engineering students over two semesters. Gender and SAT‐Quantitative measures were included as exogenous variables in a longitudinal path analysis. Attitude was theorized to predict achievement contemporaneously and at the next time point, while conceptual understanding was theorized to predict physics achievement contemporaneously and at the next time point. Each at one time was theorized to predict scores at the next time. A sample of 200 freshman engineering students participating in an integrated curriculum were assessed in September, December, and April (with a loss of 64 students) with the Force Concepts Inventory (FCI), Mechanics Baseline Test (MBT), and a locally developed attitude measure. The observed model indicated that the FCI predicted attitude at time 1 with no other paths between them, that FCI at time 1 predicted MBT at time 1 and time 2, FCI at time 2 predicted MBT at time 3, and MBT at time 1 predicted FCI at time 2. Gender and SAT‐Quantitative scores were predictive only of FCI and MBT at time 1. Results supported an interactive model of conceptual understanding and achievement, with attitude largely irrelevant to the process for this population. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 1112–1120, 2000     

Comparing State SAT Scores: Problems, Biases, and Corrections

Comparing SAT scores among states using regression analysis leads to biased results because states differ in the proportion of students taking the exam. When the proportion of students taking the exam is included in the regression equation, the results can be biased because of misspecifieation bias. A method intended to correct for selection bias is presented, and empirical results suggest that sample selection bias is present in SAT score regressions. Regression equations and state rankings are compared between the selection-corrected equation and equations for which the selection problem is not addressed. The proposed method is one of many available as possible solutions to the selection problem. Alternative methods may produce different results     

Home Visiting Among Inner-City Families: Links to Early Academic Achievement

This study examines the long-term effects of a home visiting program, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters, on students from mostly low-income, Latino families (n = 254). Children who were in the home visiting program during their early years were compared with a similar demographic group who participated in prekindergarten in the same inner-city area but did not participate in home visiting. Data linked participation in home visiting to state test scores and other information from public schools through the end of elementary school. Research Findings: Secondary data analyses tested for intervention effects on reading and math achievement in an urban school district using 4 waves of data covering kindergarten through 5th grade. Growth curve modeling showed that participation in home visiting predicted higher academic achievement through the 5th grade. Practice or Policy: Parent-focused intervention during early childhood appears to have a lasting impact on children’s achievement. In addition to parent engagement, quality school curriculum and quality instruction affect achievement in elementary school. A comprehensive curriculum focus throughout the early school years should be implemented regardless of preparation for high-stakes testing.     

Predicting College Performance of Homeschooled Versus Traditional Students

The prevalence of homeschooling in the United States is increasing. Yet little is known about how commonly used predictors of postsecondary academic performance (SAT, high school grade point average [HSGPA]) perform for homeschooled students. Postsecondary performance at 140 colleges and universities was analyzed comparing a sample of traditional students matched to a sample of 732 homeschooled students on four demographic variables, HSGPA, and SAT scores. The matched sample was drawn from 824,940 traditional students attending the same institutions as the homeschooled students, which permitted a very precise level of matching. This comparison did not show a difference in first‐year college GPA (FGPA) or retention between homeschooled and traditional students. SAT scores predicted FGPA and retention equally well for both groups, but HSGPA was a weaker predictor for the homeschooled group. These results suggest that, among college students, those who were homeschooled perform similarly to traditionally educated students matched on demographics and academic preparedness, but there are practical implications for college admissions in the use of HSGPA versus standardized test scores for homeschooled students.     

基于行为序列分析的建筑类高职学生在线学习特征研究

智慧教育是信息化教育应用的一个新范式,学习分析技术也必将在智慧教育发展中随着大数据应用产生不可预估的价值。通过分析行为序列这一主流的学习分析技术,结合聚类分析、相关分析对高职学生在线学习课程行为序列和参与模式进行了实证探索,得出在线学习行为序列频次和与成绩显著相关的行为序列,参与模式划分为低投入型、浅层次投入型、目标投入型和深层次参与型四类。最后对在线课程教与学过程、有效的行为序列、学生的最佳参与模式和在线课程设计进行讨论总结,以期对高职院校学生在线学习的分析、评估、改进提供参考和借鉴。     

An analysis of predictors of early academic dismissal

As a first step in developing a model of academic dismissal, logistic regression was employed to analyze predictors of academic performance (academic dismissal versus satisfactory performance) for first-time freshmen after one semester in an eastern state university. The analyses for each of two entry years produced very similar results. The analyses indicated that academic performance was highly related to high school academic grade point average (gpa). After controlling for SAT Verbal and SAT Math scores and high school academic gpa, race and the academic grouping of the student's major were significantly related to academic performance. However, for students of a given race and in a given academic grouping with the same SAT Verbal scores, the same SAT Math scores, and the same high school academic gpas, there was no significant difference in the predicted probability of academic dismissal for (1) men and women students, (2) dormitory and commuter students, and (3) full-time and part-time students.     

Computerized-Adaptive and Self-Adapted Music Listening Tests: Psychometric Features and Motivational Benefits

In this study, we compared the efficiency, reliability, validity, and motivational benefits of computerized-adaptive and self-adapted music-listening tests (referred to hereafter as CAT and SAT, respectively). Junior high school general music students completed a tonal memory CAT, a tonal memory SAT, standardized music aptitude and achievement tests; and questionnaires assessing test anxiety, demographics, and attitudes about the CAT and SAT. Standardized music test scores and music course grades served as criterion measures in the concurrent validity analysis. Results showed that the SAT elicited more favorable attitudes from examinees and yielded ability estimates that were higher and less correlated with test anxiety than did the CAT. The CAT, however, required fewer items and less administration time to match the reliability and concurrent validity of the SAT and yielded higher levels of reliability and concurrent validity than the SAT when test length was held constant. These results reaffirm important tradeoffs between the two administration procedures observed in prior studies of vocabulary and algebra skills, with the SAT providing greater potential motivational benefits and the CAT providing greater efficiency. Implications and questions for future research are discussed.     

SAT SCORES AND AMERICAN STATES: SEEKING FOR USEFUL MEANING

Despite difficulties, states frequently seek to compare their test performance with that of other states, or with the published national norms. All states have some students taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) exams for college admissions, but because the numbers vary widely, when the state means are made public by the College Boards, there is debate about their interpretation. Here the 50 state SAT means are the criterion in a multivariate model, together with the state variables of percent taking the SATs (very influential), percent of minority in the state, average income, unemployment rate, and per pupil expenditure. Regression is analyzed (without expenditure) to examine the state residuals compared with the "expected" scores. And briefly noted is the difficulty of using alternative tests for such comparisons, as these are currently normed, selected, and used.     

Sex Differences on the SAT: An Analysis of Demographic and Educational Variables

In comparing the average scores for men and women on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT, since revised and renamed as the Scholastic Assessment Test), sex differences in demographic and educational variables that influence test performance are usually ignored. In this study of 69,284 high school seniors (12th graders) who took the SAT in November of 1990, self-reported background information was used to compute adjusted scores for men and for women. On the Verbal section, the difference in observed means was 4.68 points while the difference in adjusted means was 9.87 points. On the Mathematical section, the difference in observed means was 45.38 points but the difference in adjusted means was 33.76 points (a reduction of over 25%). In all comparisons, the mean was higher for men than for women. It is argued that adjusted means may provide more appropriate comparisons of the performance of men and women on the SAT depending on the type of comparison to be made.