All these school board seats are up for election this November, and you can tell things are heating up because false claims are circulating about this current school board.
One false claim is that the decline in SAT scores shows that Fairfax County Public Schools are failing, and the claim suggests that this will lead to a drop in property values in the county. This lie is on the website of one of Fairfax County political parties. But school districts across Virginia, in other states, and around the globe had similar declines in SAT scores between 2018 and 2022, and Fairfax County students perform above both the state and global SAT averages.
Rather than blaming the decline in SAT scores on ones’ opponent, candidates should recognize other factors that influence SAT scores.
Fewer students now take the test compared to in the past. Only ¾ of the students nationwide took the test in 2021 compared to 2020.
80% of colleges and Universities no longer require SAT scores with applications.
So fewer students are reporting their scores to colleges, and fewer students are retaking the test for a better score,
Also, there is a shift in the profile of students taking the test. Free and more accessible testing has allowed more students from lower-income families to take the test, and data show that these students tend to score lower than those from higher income families.
And students who do not plan to attend college are now taking the test because it is free and during the school day so why not?
Fairfax County is part of a nationwide movement to de-emphasize entrance exams within the college admissions process.” Don’t be fooled into thinking FCPS are failing.
If you would like to learn more about this subject, please see Marianne Burke's full blog on the subject.