Students in Colorado can fulfill graduation requirements in various ways, including achieving a certain SAT cut score, a method frequently utilized by many students, according to officials.
Next month, Colorado is considering a potential reduction in the passing score for high school math tests, which many students rely on to meet graduation criteria. This decision comes amid a noticeable decline in test scores this year. Education officials warned that without adjusting the current cut score, graduation rates for the Class of 2025 might suffer.
To graduate, students in Colorado need to demonstrate proficiency in English and math. The SAT is a common avenue for fulfilling this requirement since it is administered to juniors, while ninth and tenth graders take the PSAT. However, it remains unclear how many students have utilized SAT scores for graduation purposes this year.
The State Board of Education is contemplating lowering the minimum passing score on the math section of the SAT from 500 to 480. If this adjustment is not made, officials project that the proportion of students using their SAT scores for graduation eligibility will fall from 45% in 2023 to 39%, potentially leaving around 3,400 students searching for alternative ways to meet graduation standards before May.
If the passing score is reduced to 480, approximately 45.5% of students who took the test would be able to use their scores for graduation, similar to previous years. At Thursday’s meeting, State Board members expressed initial reluctance at the prospect of lowering graduation standards but gradually leaned towards supporting the change. Education department staff are collecting further data on the implications of this adjustment and plan to present it to the State Board for a vote next month.
Joyce Zurkowski, the chief assessment officer for the Colorado Department of Education, has raised concerns about falling SAT scores over the past months as officials reviewed preliminary data. The final results were disclosed recently.
In comparison to 2023, there was a drop in the percentage of students in grades 9-11 meeting or exceeding expectations on math assessments. The decreases were noted across all student subgroups. For instance, the percentage of 11th graders meeting expectations fell from 35.2% in 2023 to 31.1% this year, a decrease from 39% in 2019. While some student subgroups showed score improvements in reading and writing assessments, the current passing score of 470 for that section is not under consideration for change.
Zurkowski noted that the decline in math scores might indicate both a fall in learning and student capabilities, as well as the effects from the SAT’s transition to a fully digital format last year. She remarked that students might have misjudged their potential performance, based on PSAT results from the previous year.
State Board member Lisa Escarcega highlighted that 3,400 students needing alternative routes to meet graduation requirements if the passing score remains unchanged is a considerable figure.
Students have multiple options to demonstrate mastery in math or English for graduation, including earning passing scores in specific concurrent enrollment courses, completing capstone projects, or obtaining certain industry certificates. However, availability varies by district, leading to concerns about limited options for some students.
State officials might also explore extending the timeline to collaborate with the Colorado Commission on Higher Education to establish a new cut score that aligns with previous proficiency levels, although this could take years.
Only a small number of states utilize the SAT in the same manner as Colorado, administering it as an annual test for all students. Education officials will provide next month’s data comparing Colorado’s score reductions with those of other states.
This summer, Colorado also evaluated the validity of the lower SAT scores for this year’s school and district ratings and ultimately decided to include them, with preliminary ratings due next month.