ARLINGTON, VA — September 20, 2010 — The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) has released the results of its scores on the 2010 SAT exams.

The DoDEA 2010 results reflect increases over DoDEA’s 2009 performance in the three areas assessed—critical reading, math, and writing. DoDEA students’ average score increased 5 points in critical reading, from 505 in 2009 to 510 in 2010. The average score for DoDEA students in mathematics was up 1 point, from 498 in 2009 to 499 in 2010. Finally, DoDEA students’ average score in writing improved 2 points from 492 in 2009 to 494 in 2010. DoDEA’s African American and Hispanic students scored higher than their peers across all three areas assessed.

Nationally, the 2010 average scores in the three areas assessed remained the same in critical reading—501 in 2009 and 2010; increased one point in math, from 515 in 2009 to 516 in 2010; and decreased one point in writing, from 493 to 492. DoDEA’s total average score on the 2010 SAT was 1,503, up 8 points from 2009, but six points less than the 2010 national average score of 1,509.

DoDEA students’ SAT average score in critical reading remains higher than the national average while the score in mathematics is statistically lower. DoDEA students’ average score in writing closely paralleled the national mean score. Mathematics has been and will remain an area of specific focus for DoDEA leaders, with the goal to help students achieve and sustain improved performance in the math portion of the SAT.

“We are pursuing a comprehensive examination in all areas that affect student performance,” said Marilee Fitzgerald, Acting DoDEA Director. “While DoDEA’s performance on the SAT is on a positive trajectory, we want significant gains in our average scores.”

“As we analyze this year’s results, we will be reviewing how well our curriculum standards, sequence of course offerings, instructional practices, and SAT preparatory programs work together to bring about the desired result — increased achievement for all of our students who take the SAT,” Fitzgerald added.

Critical reading, math, and writing results for the DoDEA system, and the nation are reported in the table below:

2006-2010 SAT Results*
DoDEA, DDESS, DoDDS, and the Nation
*SAT scores range from 200 (lowest) to 800 (highest)

SAT	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
DoDEA Critical Reading	515	512	509	505	510
DDESS Critical Reading	495	478	492	478	491
DoDDS Critical Reading	518	516	510	508	512
Nation Critical Reading	503	502	502	501	501
DoDEA Math	512	501	499	498	499
DDESS Math	489	475	480	471	467
DoDDS Math	515	504	501	501	503
Nation Math	518	515	515	515	516
DoDEA Writing	502	495	492	492	494
DDESS Writing	483	463	473	459	468
DoDDS Writing	505	499	494	495	496
Nation Writing	497	494	494	493	492

The DoDEA overall participation rate in the SAT exam remains substantially higher than the nation’s participation rate. For 2010, DoDEA’s SAT participation rate was 68% (2,164 students), while the Nation’s SAT participation rate was 47% (1,547,990 students). Participation rates for DoDEA, DDESS, DoDDS and the Nation are reported in the table below:

2006-2010 SAT Participation Rates
DoDEA, DDESS, DoDDS, and the Nation

SAT Participation	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
DoDEA	65%	65%	66%	67%	68%
DDESS	43%	43%	37%	39%	43%
DoDDS	70%	70%	70%	73%	72%
Nation	48%	48%	45%	46%	47%

In DDESS, 197 students took the SAT exam and 1,967 DoDDS students took the SAT exam. Because ACT is the primary college entrance exam for Ft. Campbell and Ft. Knox students, the DDESS participation rate for the SAT is normally lower than the rate for DoDDS.

Performance of African-American Students

In 2010, DoDEA’s African-American student’s scores increased significantly in the three areas. DoDEA’s critical reading score increased by 20 points from 458 in 2009 to 478 in 2010. DoDEA’s math score has increased by 26 points from 443 in 2009 to 469 in 2010. Also, DoDEA’s writing score increased by 5 points from 445 in 2009 to 450 in 2010. DoDEA’s African-American students scored higher than their peers in the Nation on all three test areas; 49 points higher in critical reading; 41 points higher in math; and 30 points higher in writing.

2006-2010 SAT Results for African-American Students

African-American*	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
DoDEA Critical Reading	458	463	462	458	478
Nation Critical Reading	434	433	430	429	429
DoDEA Math	445	448	446	443	469
Nation Math	429	429	426	426	428
DoDEA Writing	447	455	447	445	450
Nation Writing	428	425	424	421	420

Performance of Hispanic Students:

In 2010, DoDEA’s Hispanic students’ scores increased significantly in two test areas. DoDEA’s critical reading score increased by 20 points from 470 in 2009 to 490 in 2010. DoDEA’s math score has increased by 24 points from 464 in 2009 to 488 in 2010. DoDEA’s writing score decreased by 1 point from 458 in 2009 to 457 in 2010. As in past years, DoDEA’s Hispanic students scored above their peers in the Nation in all test areas. DoDEA Hispanic students outperformed their stateside counterparts by 36 points on the critical reading test, 25 points on the math test, and 10 points on the writing test.

2006-2010 SAT Results for Hispanic Students

Hispanic	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
DoDEA Critical Reading	487	471	497	470	490
Nation Critical Reading	456	458	455	454	454
DoDEA Math	476	469	476	464	488
Nation Math	463	463	461	458	463
DoDEA Writing	475	462	477	458	457
Nation Writing	451	450	447	447	447

About the SAT:

The SAT Reasoning Test is a three-hour and 45 minute test that is a measure of the critical thinking skills related to successful performance in college. The 2010 SAT scores reflect the 2006 changes to the SAT which now includes three sections instead of two. The College Board changed the Critical Reading section by removing the section on analogies and by adding short reading passages to existing long reading passages. The Math section was changed by removing quantitative comparisons and by adding topics from third-year college preparatory math. The writing section was new in 2006. SAT scores range from 200 (lowest) to 800 (highest), with the 2010 national average score of 501 for the critical reading test, 516 for the math test and 492 for the writing test. The SAT Reasoning Test is intended to supplement the secondary school record and other information about the student, in assessing readiness for college-level work.

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages the education programs for Department of Defense (DoD) dependents who would otherwise not have access to a high-quality public education. DoDEA consists of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) located overseas, and the Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) located in the United States and its territories and possessions. DoDEA provides education to eligible DoD military and civilian dependents from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.