By Kendall Harshberger
<k[email protected]>

Recently released scores from last year’s SAT test show the scores have increased in all areas of the test compared to the previous years’ scores. According to Assistant Principal Ronda Eshleman, the scores increased by 15 points in critical reasoning to 565, 6 points in mathematics to 582 and 4 points in writing to 550. Eshleman said she has several theories as to why this could be.

One of these theories regarding the increasing SAT scores, she said, is that the number of students participating in Advanced Placement (AP) courses is increasing steadily every year.

“Ever since we made the AP grades weighted a few years ago, more students are taking that risk with AP classes,” Eshleman said. “We feel that these classes really help extend a student’s critical thinking and writing skills.”

Eshleman also said the success in these classes is increasing for students.

“The number of people who got a 3, 4 or 5 on the AP test increased last year from 32 percent to 46 percent. This is a huge step, and we hope to see these numbers continue to grow,” she said.

Critical reasoning and writing skills are not only being taught in AP courses but in regular skill level courses of all departments as well, according to Eshleman.

“In the past, we’ve seen the critical reading section as an area that could be improved upon. We decided to push this critical reading and writing concept school-wide in all areas and departments of the school, even the math and science classes, especially by giving important strategies for reading,” she said. “Our students are really learning more and achieving more.”

Another theory Eshleman has on why the scores may have increased deals with the PLC late starts.

She said, “During the late starts, teachers can discuss what worked and didn’t work for their students on different topics. This opportunity for teachers to collaborate together helps to weed out a lot of the methods that don’t work as well.”

Counselor Mary Lou Curless said the honors diploma may also be helping students raise SAT scores because it requires them to have at least four AP credits

“The Core 40 with honors diploma requirements could be a big reason why we’re seeing an increase in the number of students taking these AP courses and stretching their academic limits,” she said. “Colleges are raising the bar lately, and some of the kids who don’t know exactly what type of college they want to go to or career they want to get into want to get these AP courses in to prepare for all sorts of colleges, just in case.”

These improving scores could push more students to be successful, according to Curless.

“These increased scores may have an impact on how students are preparing because there’s always that internal drive to be successful or keep to expectations,” she said. “They want to prepare for their future and be the best they can be, so maybe that’ll push them to take that SAT prep course or study more than they would.”

However, senior Marissa Lowe said these scores aren’t affecting how she’s preparing for the SATs, as she was already preparing for different reasons.

“I’m seeing a tutor to help me prepare and get some scholarships,” she said.

Lowe not only sees a tutor for the SATs but also has taken several AP courses, including AP Chemistry, AP Government and AP Human Geography.

“I think that those classes have really improved my writing skills and my math skills a little bit,” she said.

Eshleman said that the increase in scores is great for this school, especially when it comes to how colleges see CHS.

“We actually just got a letter saying that we have more students who’ve been rewarded more scholarships from IU than any other school nationwide,” she said. “This is a huge honor for us, and we’re very excited about it.”

According to Eshleman, these improvements are likely to be built upon in the future as critical reasoning and writing skills are not only being brought into high school classes but in the middle school classes as well.

“Right now we’re sort of working backwards, and what I mean by that is we’re seeing what students need for high school topics like critical reading and writing and bringing some of that into middle school classes,” she said. “That way, they’ll be more prepared for not only high school classes but more advanced courses as well, and eventually the SATs.”

Eshleman said she hopes these scores will continue to rise in the future.

“Good SAT scores can really open a lot of doors for students,” she said. “I hope they will take the opportunity to do as well as they can on it, because it can mean great things for them.”