Does the SAT really matter?

So, it’s that time of year again. School is back in session, football season has started, and the college board has released the results of last year’s SAT.

It’s odd, really, what stories find their way to the front page of big city papers. Somehow, the SAT story always seems to be considered newsworthy.

This year was no different, as news outlets everywhere published the highlights of the College Board report and took their usual swipes at the American education system.

On one level, the “they went down again” attitude toward the SAT scores is concerning. Why is it that America’s schools are not able to prepare students to perform more ably on the most common of standardized assessments? What has happened in our schools that our students don’t seem to compare with students from the other industrialized countries around the globe?

But, as an educator and a parent, I don’t really worry too much about these reports. Ultimately, I side with those who tend to agree that, while the SAT has its place in the education world, it is not necessarily the best indicator of how our kids are actually doing. I generally agree with those studies that suggest that the SAT is a great way to find out which students are skilled at taking standardized tests – but not such a great tool for measuring their true academic ability or potential.

Many parents have expectations for their children’s education that stretch far beyond their scores on a standardized test. I happen to be one of them.

Yes, I recognize that my kids will have to jump through the SAT hoop if they want to get into one of the ever dwindling list of colleges that place a great deal of emphasis on the SAT scores in their admission requirements. And, yes, I respect that fact that, at this point, the College Board is part if the education establishment in the United States.

However, I can’t seem to let myself fall victim to the “what did you get on your SAT?” trap. Quite frankly, I’d much rather see my children do well on a variety of other indicators on their way to college and beyond. Are they inquisitive and persistent enough to find alternate solutions to problems? Can they communicate their thoughts and ideas to others? Can they work well with a team of humans of differing abilities? Are they generous? Do they care as much (or more!) about contributing as consuming?

These are the questions I have about how ready my children are for life outside of our family home. Yes, I love to hear that my daughter scored well on a math test. And yes, I smile when my son’s spelling test has 100% on the top. But I care a great deal more about the process they went through to achieve those scores than the actual result. Did they prepare properly? Were they ready for a range of possible questions? Were they respectful when they approached their teacher for help?

The problems and issues our children will face in their futures have not even been imagined yet. I expect that, as adults, they will be called on to be far more flexible and adaptive than we have ever needed to be. And while I appreciate that the SAT can measure a finite set of skills and knowledge, I don’t believe that it measures readiness for the unknown.

Somewhere along the line, the College Board decided that my son will be judged for years to come by the results of working alone -- and in silence -- for a few hours on a Saturday during his junior year in high school.

I can appreciate their intentions. I just don’t happen to agree.