New SAT, but same old problems

Too often, SAT scores are equated with school quality. But Furman Education professor Paul Thomas says scores have more to do with socioeconomics. The new SAT, which aims to narrow score gaps along race, social class and gender lines, still reflects disparities across those metrics, says Thomas who cites an Education Week article.

In a piece he wrote for The Greenville News, Thomas says, “… we need to end entirely our toxic relationship with high-stakes testing because that process remains deeply inequitable.” Arguing that education resources could be better spent elsewhere, he says, “… we need the political will to address crippling social issues related to food insecurity, stable work and housing, and healthcare, but we also need the political will to stop changing standards and tests every few years and, instead, confront directly the inequities of our schools … that mirror the inequities of our communities.”