Texas Education Agency

AUSTIN - Texas led the nation with largest increase in the number of public school students who took the SAT, the College Board reported today. Texas public schools had 123,154 graduating seniors who took the college admissions test, which is a 10,678 student increase over the participation rate for the Class of 2009.

Even with the large increase in public school student participation, students in most of Texas’ major ethnic groups earned higher scores this year than in 2009.

When private school students are included, 148,102 Texas students took the SAT, a 6,369 student increase over 2009 participation rates. That represents the country’s largest year-over-year increase in test takers. It also represents the highest percentage increase of any state with more than 10,000 test takers.

“Texas has worked to increase the college-going culture, and this is proof that students are responding. The Class of 2010 had large increases in the number of students taking both the SAT and the ACT admission exams,” said Commissioner of Education Robert Scott.

Another spike in participation is expected next year because the state paid for more than 56,800 members of the Class of 2011 to take either the SAT or ACT.

The Texas Education Agency will make an announcement in the coming months regarding the availability of free SAT and ACT testing for juniors this school year.

Forty-three percent of the all Texas test takers reported that they will be the first in their families to go to college. “Texas educators have worked to make more students college ready. We have created Early College programs that allow students to earn college course credit while still in high school. Our Advanced Placement program, which also can provide students with college credit, continues to expand. I think all these efforts have helped to show more students that they are ready for college,” Scott said.

Scores

The SAT is a three part test consisting of critical reading, mathematics and writing sections, although many universities only consider the reading and math scores when making admissions decisions.

Among Texas public school students, every major student group, except white students, increased their scores on either two parts of the exam or all three. There was a 10 percent participation increase, for example, among students who classified themselves as Mexican American, and these students raised their average critical reading and mathematics scores by five points each and their writing score by three points.

Below are the score results for the major student groups in Texas. Results for additional student groups are included in the total results.

Public School Student Group*	Number of test takers	Critical Reading	Mathematics	Writing
White	51,713	522	543	505
Change from 2009	5.80%	0	0	-2
Mexican American	20,494	452	476	441
Change from 2009	10.20%	5	5	3
Other Hispanic	18,754	433	457	427
Change from 2009	18.80%	1	2	0
African-American	17,878	424	437	417
Change from 2009	13.00%	0	1	1
Asian American	8,571	526	585	523
Change from 2009	11.10%	5	1	2

*This chart shows results only for major student groups in Texas.

Overall scores for Texas public school students showed virtually no change from the 2009 results. When scores for private school students in this state are included, the average scores showed a slight decline.

Student group	Number of test takers	Critical Reading	Mathematics	Writing
*Texas - public schools*	123,154	481	504	469
Change from 2009	9.50%	0	0	-1
*Nation - public schools*	1,114,273	498	511	488
Change from 2009	2.10%	1	1	1
*Texas - all schools*	148,102	484	505	473
Change from 2009	4.50%	-2	-1	-2
*Nation - all schools*	1,547,990	501	516	492
Change from 2009	1.20%	0	1	-1

The top 10 universities receiving scores from Texas SAT test takers who are in public or private school, are:

University of Texas, Austin
Texas A&M University, College Station
Baylor University
Texas Tech University
Texas State University, San Marcos
University of Texas, San Antonio
University of Houston, Main Campus
University of North Texas
Sam Houston State University
Texas Christian University

Page last modified on 9/13/2010.