High School Grades and SAT: Still Best Predictor of College Success, Study Says

Principal of Seneca, SC high school admits cahnging grades

Imagine receiving a letter on Seneca, SC high school stationary and the current principal names himself and two administrators of having changed the grades of failing students to passing. The topper of this admission is that the course was academic math and in SC a passing grade in this course is required for graduation. You may think it didn't happen, but it did, regardless that in SC their action is a misdemeanor offense.

Tragedy of Students Grade Inflation

I am a concerned adult, grandparent, great-grandparent and advocate for children more than 33 years;beyond the years of my children's school days. If there was such thing as grade inflation in my school days, it did not appear to be as contaminating as it is today. Teachers were focused on student learning, while parents were actively involved in the education process. However, there were instances when children were identified as "the teacher's pet" the quality of learning was not cheapened by low-expectations and inadequate concerns for the students. If students are expected to perform at the highest level, excuses for less than the best will not be accepted at any time, for any reason. Some students have convinced themselves that (false images) a social life, is more important than life long learning. Both the teacher and parents have a responsibility to their student(s)in achieving .

Example of grade inflation

Allegations of grade inflation prompt audit

Thursday, Jul 17, 2008

By John Lyon

Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK - State auditors will look into allegations teachers in a college studies program for high school students were pressured into giving students higher grades than they deserved.

The state Department of Higher Education has asked the Division of Legislative Audit to conduct an audit of the Arkansas Early College High School Program offered by the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative in Monticello.

Students at 40 high schools across the state participate in the program, which uses distance learning to let students get a head start on their college education by taking college courses while still in high school. Twenty-four colleges and universities in the state are partners in the program.

In a June 12 e-mail to legislative auditor Roger Norman, state Higher Education Director Jim Purcell requested an audit of the program in response to complaints he said the department received in April.

Purcell wrote the state Department of Education and the Department of Higher Education investigated the complaints and found that "credibility issues were corroborated through multiple sources."

Current and former employees of the program told investigators that students in the early college program received higher grades than they deserved; teachers were pressured by management to change students' grades; and teachers were harassed and/or fired for refusing to lower standards or change grades.

In the e-mail, Purcell quoted the comments of several current and former employees to investigators, including:

-"If the grades weren't high enough we were to redo tests, or whatever it took to make sure those grades were high enough."

-"Plenty of pressure to give good grades. If you did not do so, you would not be renewed."

-"The grades I submitted ... were not high enough, so I was required to do grade changes on the students."

-"This is nothing but a scam. I am very disheartened by what I saw ... I was asked to give students grades they did not deserve. ... All they wanted was numbers."

Deputy Higher Education Director Steve Floyd said Wednesday he could not comment on the department's audit request.

Auditors will make an on-site visit to the cooperative next week, legislative auditor Tim Thompson said Wednesday.

Bruce Terry, who was director of the cooperative in April when the complaints were made about the early college program, was suspended with pay by a vote of the cooperative's board on June 20.

Paul Keith, the board's attorney, said Wednesday he could not comment on personnel decisions of the board. Board president Keith Alexander did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday.

Laura Creach, the former coordinator of the Arkansas Early College High School Program, resigned in April and filed a grievance against Terry alleging sexual harassment.

The board hired a consulting firm, HR Factor of Fayetteville, to investigate Creach's allegation. In a report dated June 18, the firm concluded that "the facts do not support a sexual harassment claim."

Creach told the Arkansas News Bureau the investigation was "a joke." She said a hearing on her grievance is scheduled for July 28, and that if she does not prevail she expects to file a lawsuit.

Creach also said she once witnessed Terry directing a teacher to change the grades of students who had been caught cheating. The teacher had given the students grades of zero, she said.

"He (Terry) felt like that if students had low grades, they would be afraid to sign up for classes next year and it would hurt the overall program," Creach said.

Terry's attorney, Charles Sidney Gibson, said Terry denies Creach's allegations of harassment.

"He denies those wholeheartedly," Gibson said. "Didn't happen."

Gibson said he was not aware that Creach had claimed Terry pressured teachers to inflate students' grades. An invitation to Terry to respond was extended through his attorney, but Terry did not immediately respond Wednesday.

Gibson said Terry has 30 days from the date of his suspension to request a hearing, but as of Wednesday he had not done so.

High School Student's Veiw

I am a public high school student, and I adore the fact that the SAT compares me to the entire nation. Is it a test that I dread and over compulsively fear- yes, but it levels the playing field and allows me to make up for the fact that it is much more difficult at my public high school, which is in the top 10%, to get a high GPA. Comparatively, my GPA is low (3.6) especially in the eyes of the schools which I am applying to, but the fact that I can score a 1500 on the SAT shows that Oakmont Regional High School provides a much more rigorous education than say Murdock High School of Winchendon, MA. I know that students and parents alike are vehemently opposed to the SAT, but you should realize that the SAT measures academic/test-taking ability, while your GPA measures effort and determination- both integral to the college admissions process, and to success in college.

Tests and GPA

I agree that both the SAT/ACT and GPA should be used for college admissions. As a secondary educator and administrator, I have seen a great deal of both grade inflation, as well as, believe it or not, deflation. While standardized testing continues to be touted as biased towards upper-middle class Asian and Whites, nothing compares to the bias of teachers that can grade a student based on their personal opinion of how to assess. There is no one single indicator of college success. The SAT, however, should continue to be part of a collection of tools to determine that indicator of success.

Standardized test

As a parent I think is good to have some kind of standardized test to enter colleges as well as how bad the student (himself/herself) want it to have the degree. Perhaps writing portion as a personal statement and a desire of a career would be sufficient. I see that my son must take the AIMS test to graduate from HS in his sophomore year. It has three parts Math, reading, and Writing. If one fail then he/she can retake the AIMS test in his/her Junior or senior year until they pass. Luckily his scores are exceeding. I agree that using these SAT scores for the Ivy League Colleges. Thank good ness we still have colleges here under Maricopa County Community Colleges that do not ask any SAT nor ACT score for admission.

Use of SAT Scores

As a parent who has seen my own son fear, loathe and downright hate the standardized tests, I'm convinced that the schools want to net out only the best very best students by putting each student through hoops to net out the high scorers. Most schools don't want to admit this but unless a student is going to an Ivy League institution, all the other colleges are equal in terms of education and career opportunities and it doesn't make sense to keep hammering a student with an SAT score that doesn't predict success in college, graduate school or life. I question the value of these scores because they have never proven to be predictors of success. Standardized tests are used to weed students out so that the "desired" students can obtain admission. Using these scores for the Ivy League is one thing; using them for obtain admission to state colleges and universities is questionable.

the SAT is helpful

They did not say the test wasn't helpful, they said it was slightly less accurate than HSGPA. Taken together I imagine they are very powerful. The SAT is needed to balance differences between high schools, which includes not only the rampant grade inflation mentioned, but varying quality in high schools outright. Magnet schools and prestigious private high schools are clearly better than your average public high school. The average student should be thankful for a test they can take that brings them back into competition with students from better schools and who therefore have better applications. The bottom line is top top schools need both a high GPA and a high SAT. A 4.0 with a 1200 warrants suspicion, even when coming from a sought after candidate profile from an average high school.

Just be thankful you're not from France.

Standardized Testing

I believe that all standardized testing is first and foremost a test of the student's ability to read. I have found over (43) years as a H.S. Guidance Counselor that those students who are not strong readers but work hard to make strong grades will score well on the ACT. At the same time these students will not score well on the SAT. I have recommended that the strong readers take the SAT first and then the ACT if they are not satisfied with their results. I believe that the best way to improve standardized tests scores is to improve reading rate and comprehension. We have established reading programs in many schools where I have been asked about the best way to improve standardized test scores. The best method of predicting success in education is to be able to measure "TENACITY". How bad do you want it?

ACT exam

I would really like to see a statistical comparison between the SAT and ACT. The SAT has been marketed a lot more in the west coast, however, due to research conducted by ACT, data shows that underrepresented students tend to perform better on the ACT compared to the SAT. Since underrepresented students make up about 90% of the school population I work for, I have been making great efforts to encourage more of them to take the ACT instead.

There is one thing I really do not understand about college admissions. If there is evidence that these college entrance exams are not good predictors of college success, why do they continue to make them a requirement? Many universities put the act of research on a pedestal yet ignore what studies continue to prove; that they are useless.