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Superintendent says AACPS assessment pipeline boosted SAT averages; district highlights PSAT/college-readiness gains
Summary
Superintendent presented PSAT and SAT participation and score trends, told the board that practice testing and an in-school SAT pipeline increased averages and college-readiness indicators, and pointed to district initiatives that the superintendent called evidence of progress.
The superintendent told the Board of Education that Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ expanded practice-testing program and in-school SAT pipeline produced gains in student average scores and college-readiness indicators.
At the board meeting Superintendent Dr. Bedell (presented as "Doctor Bedell") described a districtwide effort that gives every high-school student a chance to take pre-SAT or PSAT practice exams during the school day multiple times before taking the SAT in 11th grade. He said roughly 4,200 juniors took the SAT in April and that the group saw a 9‑point growth in average scores compared with earlier practice-test administrations.
“Nearly one third of Maryland public school test takers on the PSAT 8/9 came from our school district,” the superintendent said, adding that many local measures show AACPS performing above state and national comparison groups in several pre-SAT administrations. He also cautioned that other metrics such as MCAP results tell different stories and said he intends to discuss those data with the state superintendent.
Why it matters: The district emphasized increased access to college-readiness opportunities — practice exams are administered free during the school day for grades 9–11 — and staff argued the program gives broader groups of students consistent exposure to standardized testing conditions that can affect scholarships and college admissions.
Details: The superintendent presented comparative slides showing AACPS averages above the state public-school average on some pre-SAT administrations and reported that the SAT average for the tested juniors was 978, which he compared favorably to MSDE and national figures displayed in the presentation. He said the district will publish the raw data for community review and that the district is committed to transparency: “We’re not going to hide data. We’re going to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly,” he said.
Other items in the superintendent’s report included recognition of green school awards, the Kindness Cup winner, athletic state championships, and promotion of the long-range facilities plan public comment portal.
Ending: The superintendent concluded that while certain accountability tests remain areas for work, the district’s broad testing and preparation strategy is helping more students access college-ready outcomes and scholarship opportunities.
