Students, parents, and teachers will be eagerly awaiting the release of the 2016–2017 SOL performance reports as many look toward their results and the implications for the coming school year. With just a few days left in the 2015–2016 school year, it appears that many states have already released their 2016 11th grade SOL results. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 11th grade corresponds with the middle of high school. This is typically a year that students begin preparing for college and career, meet new people, and develop interests outside of the school day. Students will also be facing the dilemma of what to study for the PSAT/NMSCAT and the SAT and whether or not to retake the SAT.
What Does the Future of 11th Grade Look Like?
With only a few days left in the school year and summer vacation not yet over, it’s a good idea to look toward the future to get an idea of what this year’s results mean and what changes, if any, will take place as a result of the scores. Let’s take a look at some possible scenarios for the coming year and how they could affect students going into their 11th grade year.
- If your state has not yet released the 2016 11th grade SAT scores, you can probably expect them to be released soon. A lot of students will be looking to retake the SAT or apply to more selective colleges. If your state released the results early, you may see a lot of students choosing to apply to less competitive colleges with smaller classes or to continue their education in a private high school.
-
- A growing number of states are moving to an opt-out system for the PSAT. If your state has adopted this model, you may see fewer students taking the PSAT/NMSCAT next year. Additionally, if your state has adopted the opt-out system for the SAT, you may see fewer students taking the SAT next year. The future of the SAT looks extremely uncertain at this point and it is entirely possible that the SAT will be replaced by the ACT in 2021.
-
- If you’re in the minority of students who took the GRE this year, you can probably expect to see more students using the MCAT/MSN/DME/CAGuides for medical school next year. The future of these tests also looks extremely uncertain at this point and it is entirely possible that these tests could be phased out completely in favor of adding more content to the ACT or SAT.
-
- If you’re in the majority of students who took the GRE, you can probably expect to see more students using the GPAs they earned on their transcripts to apply to graduate school. The future of the GPA looks extremely uncertain at this point and it is entirely possible that the GPA could be replaced by the letters that students earn on their college applications.
Looking toward the future is always a good idea, but at this point, it seems especially relevant. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of students have been thrown into a school year that they never expected to have and it will be many months before they can look toward the future with any comfort. For the time being, students must make the best of this year and prepare for the coming months as they navigate the uncharted waters of remote learning. While many students will be excited about taking on an extra year of high school, there are bound to be many challenges. Regardless of whether or not students choose to take the challenge, the coming months will be interesting to watch unfold.
Key Findings From the 2016–2017 SOL
The National Center for Education Statistics published the most recent results from the SOL in September. Several notable trends came to light from the scores. First, students across the United States were consistently making gains in online writing and reading. The average score on the 11th grade English Language Arts section for the 2016–2017 school year was 442.7, up 17.2 points from the 2015–2016 school year. Additionally, the average writing score increased by 16.1 points and the average reading score increased by 13.8 points. These results indicate that students are continuing to improve their writing and reading skills as they continue their education online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will be taking on more complex tasks and assignments, requiring them to rework essays and research papers that they wrote in their previous years. Additionally, the amount of time that students have to study has increased as a result of the pandemic. While some students may look toward the upcoming AP exams and graduation requirements, these are just a small part of what they will be studying. A lot of time will be spent on developing their writing and reading skills as they navigate the uncharted waters of remote learning.
Trends in the Writing Scores
According to the results of the National Center for Education Statistics, the total writing score for the 2016–2017 school year increased by 16.1 points from the previous school year. Although the English Language Arts score is typically used to assess students’ abilities in writing, the total writing score includes all writing components that students are required to complete for the course. These include essays, research papers, and creative writing. Additionally, the total writing score accounts for the percentage of students who submitted an assignment that was acceptable to excellent. The acceptable score is the score that you get when you answer 60% of the questions correctly. The excellent score is the score you get when you answer 80% of the questions correctly. The average score for the 2016–2017 school year was 462.7, up 17.2 points from the 2015–2016 school year. Overall, these results indicate that students are becoming more sophisticated as writers and are continuing to improve their skills. However, it should be noted that this is only one piece of data and that the effects of the pandemic cannot be ignored. The coming school year will be an interesting one to follow.
Trends in the Reading Scores
The average reading score for the 2016–2017 school year increased by 13.8 points from the previous school year. Additionally, the percentage of students achieving an excellent reading score increased by 5.8% and the percentage achieving a good reading score increased by 15.9%. Despite the overall increase in reading scores, this was mainly due to the substantial increase in the percentage of students who achieved an excellent reading score. The average score for the 2016–2017 school year was 442.7, up 17.2 points from the 2015–2016 school year. These results indicate that students are continuing to improve their reading skills as they learn to navigate the uncharted waters of remote learning. Additionally, students will be taking on more challenging courses in their quest to improve grades and get into a good college. The coming school year will be an interesting one to follow.