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Haddonfield High reports SAT/PSAT results above state and national averages; board discusses digital test changes
Summary
Haddonfield Memorial High School presented PSAT and SAT performance data showing the district above state and national means for the latest reported graduating class; board members and public speakers raised questions about the new digital SAT and comparability with peer (DFG/J) districts.
Haddonfield Memorial High School staff presented the district’s most recent PSAT and SAT results and told the board that mean scores for tested cohorts exceeded both state and national averages.
The presentation covered year‑to‑year trends for PSAT results by grade (9–11) and SAT performance for graduating cohorts, noting that the district’s mean SAT score has trended above 1,200 and that 58% of students scored 1,200 or higher in the most recent graduating cohort — roughly double the national and New Jersey percentages the presenter cited.
District staff said counselors and families use SAT and PSAT subscores to guide college and career planning, to target tutoring and instruction, and to inform curriculum adjustments. The presenter emphasized that subscores help identify relative strengths (for example, data analysis) and areas for targeted support (for example, algebra), and that the district combines these assessment data with other measures to guide instruction.
Board members asked whether the results reflected paper‑based versus digital administrations and whether digital, adaptive formats could affect year‑to‑year comparisons. The presenter said the results shown were for the 2024 graduates (the cohort that completed the older administration) and acknowledged that the new digital SAT and adaptive PSAT formats pose comparability questions; several board members and a public commenter urged attention to how score reporting and norms change as the assessments shift digital.
A member of the public urged the district to provide comparisons with similar “DFG” (district factor group) or peer districts (sometimes called “J districts”) rather than only state and national averages, arguing that local comparisons better inform taxpayers and families. District staff noted limits on what data the College Board publishes and that direct comparisons to particular peer districts require either those districts’ public reports or district‑to‑district inquiries.
The presentation and subsequent discussion also touched on how increased availability of SAT preparation resources (commercial tutoring, family support, multiple test administrations) and differences in test form (paper vs. digital) may influence observed score gains. The board asked staff to continue monitoring the transition to the digital SAT and to report back with guidance on comparability and local benchmark strategies.
The board did not take a formal vote on policy changes or testing protocols during the presentation; staff said they will continue to analyze incoming digital administration data and provide updates to the board as more cohorts complete the new formats.
Sources: Presentation at the March board meeting and public comment.
