Office of the Superintendent of Schools
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Rockville, Maryland
August 19, 2003
MEMORANDUM
To:
Members of the Board of Education
From:
Jerry D. Weast, Superintendent of Schools
Subject:
Report on Preliminary SAT (PSAT) Participation and Performance
The number of tenth grade students taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) as a way of establishing a
personal benchmark in preparation for more rigorous studies and assessing their readiness for college
has increased substantially in the Montgomery County Public Schools over the past three years,
rising from just 30 percent of sophomores in the fall of 1999 to 82.5 percent of last year’s class. The
dramatic increase has been achieved among every race and ethnic group, as the school system
continues to expand opportunities for student success.
A new report by the Office of Shared Accountability (OSA) shows that in the 2002-2003 school year
the PSAT was taken by 8,954 tenth grade students, the largest number ever taking the test in the
school system and among the highest percentages in Maryland. The participation rate across
Maryland last year is estimated at 65 percent, compared to 82.5 percent in Montgomery County. At
the same time, the average verbal, math, and writing scores on the PSAT have remained relatively
constant since 2001, when the number of tenth graders taking the PSAT nearly tripled in one year,
from just 2,885 students (30.4 percent of the class) in the 1999-2000 school year to 8,174 students
(81 percent) the following year. The most recent test was taken on Tuesday, October 15, 2002, at the
height of the sniper incident that so seriously impacted our schools.
The expansion of the PSAT has had an immediate influence in key areas of student participation. For
example, the percentage of African American students taking the test increased from just 15.7 percent
in the 2000-2001 school year to 74.4 percent last year. Among Hispanic students, the participation rate
increased from 13.8 percent to 68.6 percent. In fact, the expansion of the PSAT program was
systemwide, with the participation rate increasing from 44.4 percent in 2000 to 90.2 percent last year
among Asian American students and from 36.8 percent to 88.6 percent among white students.
Interestingly, the greatest gains in student participation were among students in non-honors and
lower-level mathematics and English courses. For example, the participation rate increased
significantly among students taking regular English in tenth grade, from 18 percent in October 1999
to 80 percent in October 2002. In most honors and other advanced courses, the participation rate on
the PSAT doubled and now includes nearly all students in those courses.
The PSAT, a national exam provided by the Educational Testing Service as a preparation for taking the
SAT and a qualifying measure for certain scholarships, is an increasingly important component of the
ongoing efforts by this administration to provide more opportunities for student participation in higher-
Members of the Board of Education
2
August 19, 2003
level academics. High school principals, teachers, and guidance counselors are using the results of the
exam to provide students with an early assessment of their readiness for more rigorous studies during the
final two years of high school, including enrollment in honors and Advanced Placement courses and other
preparation for college. Next week, the release of the 2003 SAT scores is expected to show continued
growth in the number of twelfth grade students taking that exam, in part as a result of this initiative.
I believe even higher levels of participation are possible as high schools continue to encourage more
students to aspire to higher levels of academic studies. The implementation of the PSAT, as a free
service of the school system, was implemented in the 2000-2001 school year as part of the
comprehensive reform efforts approved by the Board of Education. The testing opportunity is
intended for tenth grade students who are in the regular high school degree program, not including
certain special education students in certificate programs, students in the English for Speakers of
Other Languages (ESOL) program, and students who are absent on the testing date. The initiative
began following reports on the relatively low student participation rate in honors and Advanced
Placement courses, inadequate student preparation for the SAT, and a comparatively high rate of
remediation in mathematics and English among students who seek post-graduate studies at
Montgomery College. Improvements are continuing to be made in all areas, and 20 of 23 high
schools were recently named among the top schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine based on
an analysis of Advanced Placement testing. A comprehensive assessment of the progress made since
the 1999 report of the Work Group on Honors/Advanced Placement Policies, Practices, and
Enrollment is being prepared for next month.
Preliminary research work by OSA also is beginning to show that PSAT data can be used by students
and staff to predict potential success in three important areas of high school outcomes: (1) attaining
at least a score of “3” or higher on a related Advanced Placement test; (2) attaining at least 550 on a
related SAT score; and (3) the likelihood for remedial course-taking upon college entry. The score
ranges on the PSAT can be used by school staff to encourage and support students in taking more
challenging academic courses and preparing themselves for post-high school studies. A detailed
report on the PSAT results and related analysis is attached for your review.
I strongly believe that as the PSAT becomes more ingrained as a standard within our schools—and
other ongoing educational reforms continue to make progress—the academic potential and
achievement of our students will improve as well. The offering of the PSAT in the tenth grade
serves as an “early warning” signal to students who might not otherwise take the necessary steps to
prepare themselves for more rigorous studies, and it provides our schools with another important
opportunity to identify students who may have untapped capabilities that might not be otherwise
apparent. I am deeply encouraged by the progress made thus far, and I want to congratulate our high
school principals and staff for their commitment to the higher standards this assessment represents.
JDW:kmy
Attachment
Copy to:
Executive Staff
Principals
A THREE-YEAR REVIEW OF PSAT PARTICIPATION AND
PERFORMANCE AMONG GRADE 10 STUDENTS IN THE
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Shared Accountability
August 2003
John C. Larson, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Applied Research
Wesley L. Boykin, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Director, Shared Accountability
OFFICE OF SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY
Dr. Wesley L. Boykin, Director
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(301) 279-3448
Dr. Jerry D. Weast
Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey
Chief of Staff
A THREE-YEAR REVIEW OF PSAT PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE AMONG
GRADE 10 STUDENTS IN THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Executive Summary
As part of Superintendent Jerry Weast’s Call to Action for raising academic standards in county
high schools, the systemwide Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(PSAT) testing of Grade 10 students was begun in October 2000. The purpose was to identify
students with strong academic performance who, in the past, may not have taken Honors or
Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and to encourage and support them in taking a rigorous
course of study. The costs of the systemwide PSAT testing were paid by the school district. The
PSAT administered in Grade 10 also can serve as an early signal to many students who, although
not enrolled in the most advanced courses, could nevertheless improve their academic
preparation during the final two years of high school.
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) provides individual student results and results for each
school two to three months after the October testing, and school personnel have been able to use
those results for making course decisions and planning. However, because ETS does not have
available the complete roster of MCPS students, their demographic features and their academic
levels, the ETS reports are incomplete for the purposes of systemwide monitoring.
This report provides a systemwide summary of the PSAT results for Grade 10 students for fall
2000, 2001, and 2002. The following points summarize the major findings.
• The Grade 10 PSAT participation rose from 2,885 (30 percent) in the 1999-2000 school
year to 8,174 (81 percent) in the 2000-2001 school year. In the 2002-2003 school year,
8,954 (82.5 percent) Grade 10 students took the PSAT. By comparison, the Grade 10
PSAT participation rate in the aggregate of other Maryland school districts for October
2002 was estimated at 65 percent, based on College Board reports and Maryland state
enrollment data.
• The PSAT participation rose dramatically for African American and Hispanic students
from close to 15 percent in October 1999 to 74 percent for African American students
and 69 percent for Hispanic students in October 2002.
• The Grade 10 PSAT participation rates ranged from 69 percent to 97 percent among high
schools in October 2002. Close to half of the students at the lowest levels of the Grade
10 mathematics or English curriculum took the PSAT, and over 96 percent of the Grade
10 students in the upper-level mathematics or English courses took the PSAT.
• The PSAT Verbal, Mathematics and Writing scores have varied little among Grade 10
students over the past three years. The combined PSAT Total score of 136.3 for MCPS
in October 2002 was about one-fourth of a standard deviation higher than the 128 average
estimated for non-MCPS districts in Maryland, where a considerably lower percentage of
students were tested. This means that, for example, the student with the median PSAT
Total score from non-MCPS districts stands at only the 41st percentile among the PSAT
scores in MCPS.
Office of Shared Accountability
i
A THREE-YEAR REVIEW OF PSAT PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE AMONG
GRADE 10 STUDENTS IN THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Background
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT)
was designed to identify the top academic talent in United States high schools. The National
Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), using test score information from the College Board’s
PSAT administration to about 1.36 million high school students in the fall of their junior year,
identified about 34,000 students (2.5%) as “commended students” for their high scores.1 Further
selection procedures identified about 16,000 students (about 1%) as semifinalists in the NMSC
competition. Ultimately, about 8,000 finalists are selected to receive Merit Scholarships.
The PSAT was envisioned as a practice test for students to prepare for the SAT, and typically
taken in the junior and/or senior year of high school.2 The PSAT test items on verbal and
mathematics reasoning skills and the test directions are quite similar to those found on the SAT.
Students and school staff can use PSAT scores to gauge a student’s level of preparation for the
academic rigors of college. The Educational Testing Service (ETS), in collaboration with the
College Board, provides students and schools with individualized reports on areas of strength
and weakness that can be used to help guide decisions about course selections during subsequent
semesters in high school. PSAT scores in verbal, mathematics, and writing skills are each scaled
from 20 to 80. The average scores for high school juniors nationwide were around 48 in verbal,
49 in mathematics, and 46 in writing. Studies published by the College Board show the links
between the PSAT scores and various Advanced Placement (AP) test scores.3 For example,
about half of the high school juniors who scored in the range of 46 to 50 on the verbal section
also attained a score of at least three on the AP English Language test.
The PSAT also is useful among high school sophomores as a guide to academic course
placements and as a stimulating challenge for students to take more rigorous courses. Grade 10
students who review their PSAT scores in the winter still have two full years of high school to
enhance their college preparation. In contrast, PSAT scores may have limited effects on high
school juniors’ course-taking decisions because the scores are obtained close to the end of high
school programs. Partly for this reason, the use of the PSAT as a guidance tool has become more
popular among high school sophomores. For example, the 910,600 sophomores who took the
PSAT in fall of 2002 represented an increase of 76 percent over the 517,221 sophomores who
took the test 10 years earlier.4 PSAT administration to high school sophomores in Maryland is
widespread. For example, the 44,043 PSAT scores from Maryland sophomores in fall 2002
represented 69 percent of the estimated 65,000 Grade 10 students in Maryland.
1
The information in this paragraph was taken from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Web site
(www.nationalmerit.org).
2
See the College Board Web site for more detailed information and score summaries (www.collegeboard.com).
3
Camara, W.J., and Millsap, R. (1998). Using the PSAT/NMSQT and Course Grades in Predicting Success in the
Advanced Placement Program. College Board Report No. 98-4,, New York, NY: The College Board.
4
The College Board. PSAT/NMSQT Summary Report, Maryland, 2002-2003 College-bound High School
Sophomores. (See Web site www.collegeboard.com.)
Office of Shared Accountability
1
As part of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Call to Action for raising academic
standards in high schools, the systemwide PSAT testing of Grade 10 students was initiated in fall
2000. The purpose was to identify students with strong academic performance who may not
have taken Honors or AP courses in the past, and to encourage and support them in taking a
rigorous course of study. The costs of the systemwide PSAT testing were paid by the school
district.
At the same time, the Student Outcomes and Achievement Report (SOAR), published annually
by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), had documented that significant
numbers of MCPS graduates attending Montgomery College were required to take remedial
courses in mathematics, reading, or English composition before they could take college creditbearing courses. Those findings are important because one-third of MCPS graduates attend
Montgomery College. Results for the Class of 2000 (the most recent data available) showed, for
example, that 57 percent of the MCPS graduates at Montgomery College were required to take
remedial mathematics courses in their first year. The remedial placement rates for reading and
English were 24 percent and 28 percent respectively.5 Therefore, the PSAT administered in
Grade 10 can serve as an early signal to many students who, although not enrolled in the most
advanced courses, could nevertheless improve their academic preparation during the final two
years of high school before enrolling in Montgomery College.
Purpose
This report provides a systemwide summary of the PSAT results for Grade 10 students for fall
2000, 2001, and 2002. ETS provides individual student school results within two to three
months after the October testing, allowing ample time for school personnel to use those results
for course decisions and planning. However, ETS does not have the complete roster of all
students enrolled in MCPS, their demographic features, and their academic levels. Therefore, it
was necessary to merge individual PSAT records with existing student records in order to
provide a systemwide summary of test participation and performance. Results are summarized
for each school and for the following groups of students in the following groups:
• Racial/ethnic groups
• Special education
• Gender
• Level of mathematics course
• Free and Reduced-price Meal • Level of English course
System
• English for Speakers of Other
Languages (ESOL)
In addition, this report provides some guidelines for interpreting the PSAT scores. The success
in engaging high school sophomores in a rigorous, college preparatory test can be gauged just by
reviewing the PSAT participation rates. The findings below show considerable success in that
regard. However, interpreting the utility of the PSAT score for future course placement
decisions is another matter. Our analyses examined the relationship between Grade 10 PSAT
scores and important high school outcomes such as (1) attaining a score of three or higher on an
AP examination, (2) attaining an SAT verbal or mathematics score of 550 or higher by the senior
5
Memorandum to the Board of Education, January 22, 2003.
Office of Shared Accountability
2
year, and (3) likelihood for needing remedial course work in mathematics, reading, or English
composition upon college entry. The results below suggest PSAT score ranges that pertain to
those three high school outcomes and, thereby, provide school staff with a means to (1) identify
academically promising students who may be overlooked for more challenging assignments
based upon course work alone, and (2) identify students in a given course of study who may need
further support to mitigate the likelihood of remedial course work upon college entry.
Findings
PSAT Participation Rates. The systemwide testing of Grade 10 students on the PSAT began in
October 2000.6 Previously, about 30 percent of the Grade 10 students took the PSAT. In
October 2000, 81 percent of the Grade 10 students took the PSAT. In the two subsequent years,
80.6 percent and 82.5 percent, respectively, of Grade 10 students took the PSAT (see Table 1).
Thus, the PSAT testing program nearly tripled the proportion of Grade 10 students taking the
college preparatory test.
Table 1. PSAT Participation Rate Among Grade 10 Students, 1998-2003
TOTAL
Native
Am.
Asian
African
Am.
White
Hispanic
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
1998
28.8%
8701
2510
23.5%
34
8
39.2%
1258
493
11.1%
1830
203
37.8%
4545
1717
8.6%
1034
89
1999
26.6%
9159
2433
7.7%
26
2
36.1%
1255
453
12.5%
1940
243
34.3%
4708
1616
9.7%
1230
119
YEAR
2000
2001
30.4%
81.0%
9478
10094
2885
8174
31.8%
73.3%
22
30
7
22
44.4%
88.1%
1365
1380
606
1216
15.7%
72.2%
1961
2020
307
1458
36.8%
88.0%
4865
5238
1790
4608
13.8%
61.0%
1265
1426
175
870
2002
80.6%
10464
8433
81.0%
21
17
88.2%
1514
1336
72.3%
2157
1559
87.2%
5220
4550
62.6%
1552
971
2003
82.5%
10853
8954
77.8%
36
28
90.2%
1557
1405
74.4%
2417
1798
88.6%
5133
4550
68.6%
1710
1173
The percentage of sophomores taking the PSAT prior to October 2000 was not the same for all
groups of students defined by racial/ethnic group, or by level of academic courses. Therefore,
the effect of the PSAT testing program was not the same for all groups. For example, the
6
Hereafter in the text and tables, the school years are denoted by the spring of the school year, even though the
PSAT is administered in the fall of the school year.
Office of Shared Accountability
3
percentage of Grade 10 African American students tested on the PSAT rose from about 16
percent in 1999-2000 to 74 percent in 2002-03. A similar dramatic increase was seen among
Hispanic students in the sophomore class. The percentage of Asian and White students taking
the PSAT increased greatly, if not so dramatically, as a result of the PSAT testing program.
The attempt to test all Grade 10 students did not reach everyone. Overall, about 17 percent of
the Grade 10 students in 2003 did not take the PSAT. Table 2 shows that, over the past three
years, the PSAT participation rate was lower among students in the lower levels of the
mathematics and English courses. However, the PSAT testing program had the greatest effect on
students in those lower-level courses. For example, for students in the regular English courses,
the PSAT testing program expanded the PSAT participation rate nearly fivefold, from 18 percent
in 2000 to 80 percent in 2003. For students in the Algebra 1 sections in Grade 10, the PSAT
testing program expanded the PSAT participation rate tenfold–from 5.8 percent in 2000 to 58
percent in 2003. At the level of academically challenging Honors courses in English or
mathematics (Honors geometry or higher), the PSAT testing program roughly doubled the
percentage of students taking the PSAT in 2003 compared with 2000. In those advanced
courses, virtually all Grade 10 students (approximately 95%) took the PSAT in 2003.
Figure 1 shows the PSAT participation rate by high school for 2000, the year just before the
PSAT testing program, and 2003. In 2003, three high schools had Grade 10 PSAT participation
rates above 90 percent, 14 high schools had PSAT participation rates in the range of 80 to 89
percent, and six schools had PSAT participation rates below 80 percent.
Office of Shared Accountability
4
Table 2. PSAT Participation Rate By Level Of Mathematics
and English Course, 1998-2003
Grd.10
Math
Grd.10
English
< Alg.1
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
Alg.1
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
Reg.Geo.
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
H.Geo.
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
Alg.2
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
Alg.2 & Anl. % Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
>= PreCalc. % Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
ESOL /
% Tested
Basic
Enrolled
n Tested
Regular
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
Honors
% Tested
Enrolled
n Tested
Office of Shared Accountability
1998
3.6%
1006
36
3.2%
1127
36
21.7%
3302
717
42.9%
266
114
43.2%
1034
447
60.9%
1658
1009
64.8%
233
151
1.8%
823
15
16.4%
4745
779
55.4%
2962
1640
1999
4.4%
1139
50
4.3%
1344
58
19.1%
3280
628
39.8%
279
111
43.2%
1030
445
57.5%
1721
990
56.0%
268
150
1.7%
697
12
14.2%
5144
731
51.8%
3127
1619
YEAR
2000
2001
6.5%
53.2%
1104
1251
72
665
5.8%
58.5%
1307
1319
76
771
24.0%
85.9%
3456
3418
830
2935
46.1%
94.8%
371
443
171
420
44.4%
91.8%
964
1106
428
1015
60.2%
96.8%
1840
2081
1107
2015
61.5%
96.1%
317
356
195
342
3.7%
27.8%
649
1112
24
309
17.6%
81.8%
5214
4845
918
3962
55.2%
96.9%
3407
4025
1879
3899
2002
51.7%
1202
621
58.5%
1278
748
83.0%
3264
2708
91.9%
454
417
91.5%
1278
1169
97.5%
2350
2292
97.2%
464
451
35.3%
1197
422
79.3%
4369
3463
95.7%
4738
4536
2003
55.0%
1066
586
57.5%
1313
755
83.8%
3306
2772
94.4%
449
424
92.9%
1483
1377
97.4%
2530
2464
97.5%
561
547
40.2%
1207
485
79.9%
4240
3388
96.0%
5284
5071
5
Figure 1. Grade 10 PSAT Participation Rate For High Schools, 2000 And 2003
CHURCHILL HS
WOOTTON HS
POOLESVILLE HS
WHITMAN HS
DAMASCUS HS
B.C.C. HS
WALTER JOHNSON HS
SHERWOOD HS
J. HUBERT BLAKE HS
SPRINGBROOK HS
R. MONTGOMERY HS
PAINT BRANCH HS
NORTHWEST HS
MAGRUDER HS
M. BLAIR HS
ROCKVILLE HS
EINSTEIN HS
SENECA VALLEY HS
YEAR
QUINCE ORCHARD HS
KENNEDY HS
WHEATON HS
2000
WATKINS MILL HS
GAITHERSBURG HS
2003
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percentage of Grade 10 with PSAT
PSAT Performance. Grade 10 PSAT scores for MCPS have been quite stable over the past three
years. Table 3 on page 7 shows that the average Verbal score increased slightly from 44.0 in
2001 to 44.4 in 2003. The average Mathematics score in 2003, 46.3, was an increase of .2 point
over the 2001 average score. The average Writing score of 45.6 was the same as in 2001. These
fluctuations in scores over the past three years amount to less than 5 percent of one standard
deviation.
These scores, representing about 83 percent of the MCPS sophomores in 2003, are significantly
higher than the PSAT scores for sophomores in the other school districts in Maryland. Using
data summaries published by the College Board for the 2003 sophomores in Maryland, the
estimated scores for non-MCPS sophomores were 41.8 in Verbal, 42.5 in Mathematics, and 43.7
Office of Shared Accountability
6
in Writing.7 The PSAT Verbal, Mathematics, and Writing scores have varied little among Grade
10 students over the past three years. The combined PSAT Total Score of 136.3 for MCPS in
October 2002 was about one-fourth of a standard deviation higher than the 128 average
estimated for non-MCPS districts in Maryland where a considerably lower percentage of
students were tested. This means that, for example, the student with the median PSAT Total
score from non-MCPS districts stands at only the 41st percentile among the PSAT scores in
MCPS. Based on the reported scores and the Grade 10 enrollment estimated for the state of
Maryland, the PSAT participation rate for non-MCPS sophomores was estimated at 64.8 percent
compared with 83 percent for MCPS sophomores.
Table 3. Grade 10 PSAT Average Scores in MCPS, 1998-2003
YEAR
1998
Verbal
Mean
s.d.
n
Math
Mean
s.d.
n
Writing
1999
2000
50.8
10.1
2510
52.1
10.2
2510
49.7
10.9
2433
51.3
10.4
2433
50.4
11.1
2885
52.1
10.8
2885
*
*
*
Mean
s.d.
n
2001
44.0
12.4
8174
46.1
12.4
8174
45.6
10.1
8174
2002
44.4
11.7
8433
45.8
12.0
8433
46.0
10.8
8433
2003
44.4
12.2
8954
46.3
12.5
8954
45.6
10.0
8954
* Data not compiled.
Note: PSAT scores range from 20 to 80.
With the large increase in the percentage of sophomores tested in 2001, the PSAT average scores
dropped significantly from their respective levels in the years prior to 2001, when only 26 to 30
percent of the sophomores were tested. This decrease in the systemwide average scores was due
to the inclusion of many students with lower academic performance levels. The inclusion of
such students in taking a college preparatory placement test was, of course, the main rationale for
the systemwide PSAT testing program.
PSAT scores for student demographic groups are summarized in Table A1 in the technical
appendix. Those data show that Grade 10 PSAT scores for Asian and White groups average
about one standard deviation unit higher than the average scores for African American and
Hispanic students. Racial/ethnic group differences are shown below in Figure 2. Because
racial/ethnic group differences were largely similar across the verbal, mathematics, and writing
tests, Figure 2 on page 8 shows the sum of those scores, also known as the PSAT Selection
Index. The Selection Index is used by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for
identifying semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship competition.
7
The College Board. PSAT/NMSQT Summary Report, Maryland, 2002– 2003 College-bound High School
Sophomores. (See Web site www.collegeboard.com.)
Office of Shared Accountability
7
The boxplots in Figure 2 show the median scores for each group as the small white line in the
middle of each “box.” The upper and lower edges of the boxes show the 75th and 25th percentile
scores for each group, and the ends of the “whiskers” show the extreme scores for each group.
These results suggest that the African American and Hispanics scoring at the 75th percentile in
their respective groups stand close to the Asian or White students scoring at the 25th percentile in
their respective groups.
Figure 2. Racial/Ethnic Group Differences in the PSAT Selection Index, 2001-2003
(sum of Verbal, Mathematics, and Writing scores)
240
220
200
180
160
PSAT Selection Index
140
120
100
2001
80
2002
60
2003
Asian
African Am.
White
Hispanic
Note: Information compiled for each year is the sum of verbal, mathematics, and writing scores.
Much of the racial/ethnic group differences on the PSAT probably are due to the group
differences in levels of academic course placement. Table A2 in the technical appendix shows
the PSAT performance levels for those Grade 10 students who are enrolled in different levels of
mathematics and English courses. These academic group differences are shown in Figures 3 and
4. Close to 10 PSAT Mathematics points separate the median scores of students in the Algebra 1
group from those in the regular geometry group, and another 10 points separate the median of the
Algebra 2 group from the regular geometry group median. Considering the results noted above
for the state of Maryland, these results suggest that the median PSAT Mathematics score for
Office of Shared Accountability
8
Honors geometry group in MCPS is close to the mean score for the top two-thirds of Grade 10
students in Maryland.
Office of Shared Accountability
9
Figure 3. Grade 10 PSAT Mathematics Score Differences for Students in
Different Mathematics Classes, 2001-2003
80
70
60
Grade 10 PSAT Math
50
40
2001
30
2002
20
2003
< Alg.1
Reg.Geo.
Alg.1
Alg.2
Honors Geo.
>= PreCalc.
Alg.2/ Anlysis
Figure 4. Grade 10 PSAT Verbal Score Differences for Students in
Different English Classes, 2001-2003
80
70
60
Grade 10 PSAT Verbal
50
40
2001
30
2002
2003
20
Basic
Office of Shared Accountability
Regular
Honors
10
The median performance of students in the Honors English sections was about 13 PSAT Verbal
points above the median of the regular English sections, and that median was, in turn, about eight
points higher than the median for the students in the ESOL or basic English courses. The
average PSAT Verbal score for the top two-thirds of the sophomores in Maryland, 42, lay in
between the median scores of the MCPS regular and Honors English sections. As with the
PSAT Mathematics scores, the PSAT Verbal scores for students in the various academic course
levels have fluctuated little over the past three years.
A more detailed analysis examined the racial/ethnic group differences among students who
shared the same type of mathematics and English course levels and the same status of Free and
Reduced-price Meals System (FARMS). Racial/ethnic group differences in FARMS status and
in percentages of students enrolled in those various course levels accounted for some but not all
of the racial/ethnic group differences in PSAT scores. For example, the PSAT Verbal score
averages for African American and Hispanic students differed by .93 to 1.0 s.d. units from the
average for White students, but among students that shared the same levels of mathematics and
English courses, those differences were, respectively, .31 and .25 s.d. units. Also, the average
PSAT Mathematics score for African American or Hispanic students was .97 s.d. units lower
than that for White students, but among students that shared the same levels of mathematics and
English courses, those differences were, respectively, .33 and .25 s.d. units. Therefore, factors
other than course placement and FARMS contribute to racial/ethnic group differences in PSAT
scores.
PSAT Performance Differences Among High Schools. Figure 5 shows the PSAT total scale for
schools, termed the Selection Index, which is used by the National Merit Scholarship
Corporation in selecting national merit semifinalists. Since the scores changed relatively little
across years, Figure 5 shows the three-year averages of the PSAT scores. (See appendix Table
A3 for more detailed summaries of the three sub-scores across the three years.) Variations
among high schools in Grade 10 PSAT scores are similar to the variations observed for Grade 12
SAT scores. As might be expected, schools with relatively more high-scoring students upon
entry to high school, and consequently with higher percentages of students in the upper-level
courses, also tend to have higher PSAT averages in Grade 10 than do schools with relatively
more students in the lower-level courses. Therefore, the schools’ average PSAT scores from the
October administration in Grade 10 represent largely the students’ incoming academic levels
mixed with about one year’s effect of the high schools’ academic programs.
In order to gain a clearer picture of the relative strength of the high schools’ academic programs,
Figure 5 also shows the PSAT total scores for schools as if the schools all had the same
proportions of students at each level of the mathematics curriculum. These “statistically
adjusted” averages were obtained not by averaging the students’ scores directly, but by averaging
each school’s PSAT scores for the Algebra 1 students, the Geometry students, the Algebra 2
students, etc., and then taking the average of those mean scores. This picture of the schools’
performance levels is important when judging the consistency of the academic programs among
schools. For example, Figure 5 shows that 18 of the 23 high schools have average adjusted
scores within only about 6 points of 140 (the district average). If matched on a course-by-course
basis, these schools produce similar levels of performance on the PSAT. On the other hand, the
unadjusted, observed PSAT averages among these same schools range between 122 (Einstein
Office of Shared Accountability
11
HS) and 150 (R. Montgomery HS), a range of about 28 PSAT total score points. Much of the
variation in the observed averages is thus due to school differences in the proportions of students
at different academic levels rather than to school differences in the “output” within any given
level of the academic program.
Figure 5. PSAT Total Scale Averages Among High Schools, and Adjusted Averages
WHITMAN HS
WOOTTON HS
R. MONTGOMERY HS
CHURCHILL HS
B.C.C. HS
WALTER JOHNSON HS
POOLESVILLE HS
QUINCE ORCHARD HS
M. BLAIR HS
MAGRUDER HS
SHERWOOD HS
DAMASCUS HS
J. HUBERT BLAKE HS
ROCKVILLE HS
WATKINS MILL HS
GAITHERSBURG HS
PAINT BRANCH HS
NORTHWEST HS
SPRINGBROOK HS
SENECA VALLEY HS
PSAT Total
EINSTEIN HS
Avg. of Math Group
KENNEDY HS
WHEATON HS
100
Means
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
PSAT Total Scale
Note: Averages are adjusted as if all schools had the same proportion of students at each level of the Mathematics Curriculum.
Effects of PSAT Testing Program on Subsequent Honors Course Participation. The rationale for
the systemwide PSAT testing program was to identify likely candidates for increased Honors
course-taking among Grade 10 students who otherwise might not have considered more
challenging academic courses. One way of examining the effect of this intent is to observe the
Office of Shared Accountability
12
incidence of Honors course-taking among students in the first semester of their junior year, after
having taken the PSAT in Grade 10. It was possible, for the sophomores of 2001 and 2002, to
record the Grade 11 Honors course enrollments of students one year after their PSAT testing, and
to compare the potential changes in Honors course-taking found among juniors from earlier
years.
Figures 6 shows the percentages of Grade 11 students, from 1998 to 2003, that had PSAT scores
from Grade 10. The effect of the systemwide PSAT testing program is clearly seen for the
Grade 11 classes of 2002 and 2003 compared with earlier years. Figure 7 on page 13 shows the
percentages of Grade 11 students in those same years who were enrolled in at least one Honors
course during the first semester. The Grade 11 groups for 2001, 2002, and 2003 show gradually
increasing participation in Honors classes for each of the four racial/ethnic groups. These
gradual increases suggest an expanding outreach to students for Honors course-taking. However,
the increases in Grade 11 Honors course-taking appeared even among the 2001 group of Grade
11 students who had not, at that time, experienced the systemwide PSAT testing in Grade 10.
Therefore, the systemwide PSAT testing program for Grade 10 contributed to other activities
established earlier in the schools to encourage Honors course-taking.
Figure 6. Changes in Grade 10 PSAT Participation Among Students
in Grade 11, 1998-2002
One year prior to systemwide
Grade 10 PSAT testing
Asian Am.
Grade 11 Year
African Am
1998
1999
White
2000
2001
Hispanic
2002
2003
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% Grd. 11 with Grd. 10 PSAT Score
Office of Shared Accountability
13
Figure 7. Changes in Honors Course Participation Among Students
in Grade 11, 1998-2002
One year prior to systemwide
Grade 10 PSAT testing
Asian Am.
Grade 11 Year
African Am
1998
1999
White
2000
2001
Hispanic
2002
2003
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% Any Honors Course, Grd.11, Sem.1
Guidelines for Using PSAT Scores to Estimate High School Outcomes. The systemwide
Grade 10 PSAT testing program was intended not only to provide students with the experience
of a rigorous college preparatory test, but also to provide students and school staff with
information that could contribute to more advanced course placements for some students who,
without more encouragement, might forgo challenging course work. The Grade 10 PSAT scores
can contribute to such student guidance to the extent that the scores correlate with important high
school outcomes. Moreover, it is important to establish the alignment of the PSAT scales with
various academic high school outcomes so that guidance decisions can be made based on various
ranges of students’ PSAT scores. For example, what is the likelihood of a student attaining an
SAT Mathematics score of 550 or greater by the senior year, given various ranges of PSAT
scores from Grade 10? Or, what is the likelihood of taking an Advanced Placement examination
in mathematics and scoring three or higher, given any Grade 10 PSAT Mathematics score?
Alternatively, for any given PSAT Verbal score in Grade 10, what is the likelihood of needing
remedial reading or English composition courses in college three years later? In order to answer
such questions, the following analyses linked Grade 10 PSAT scores with high school AP
examination scores and SAT scores up to two years later, and with remedial course placement
experiences in college three years later. The results suggest ranges of PSAT scores that may be
used to guide students’ planning for their last two years in high school.
Office of Shared Accountability
14
Figure 8 shows the relationship between PSAT Verbal scores from Grade 10 and three high
school outcomes: (1) the likelihood of placement into a remedial reading or English composition
course upon college entry three years later, (2) the likelihood of taking an AP examination in
English literature or language and attaining a score of three or higher on either test, and (3) the
likelihood of attaining an SAT Verbal score of 550 or higher by the senior year. (The SAT
Verbal score of 550 or higher is reported by Montgomery College officials as a good indicator of
college-level functioning.)
In Figure 8, each PSAT Verbal score value is associated with these likelihoods based on analyses
from earlier cohorts of students in MCPS. The results show, for example, that Grade 10 students
with higher PSAT Verbal scores have an understandably lower likelihood for needing remedial
course work than do students with lower PSAT scores. Conversely, Grade 10 students with
higher PSAT Verbal scores have higher likelihoods for AP English scores of three or higher or
SAT Verbal scores of 550 or higher than do their classmates with lower PSAT scores. The
PSAT score associated with the “50 percent likelihood” line (on the vertical axis) suggests the
PSAT score above which a favorable outcome is more likely than not. For example, attaining an
AP English score of at least three becomes more likely than not for students whose PSAT Verbal
scores are 42 or higher. Or, attaining an SAT Verbal score of at least 550 becomes more likely
than not for students whose PSAT Verbal scores are 47 or higher. Conversely, students whose
Grade 10 PSAT Verbal scores are lower than 37 are more likely than not to require a remedial
reading or English course upon college entry.
Figure 8. Likelihood for Three High School Outcomes,
Given Grade 10 PSAT Verbal Scores
1.0
47
.9
42
.8
37
Likelihood for Verbal Outcome
.7
.6
.5
.4
Verbal Outcome
.3
.2
Remedial Eng/Rd
.1
AP Eng. 3+
SAT >= 550
0.0
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Grade 10 PSAT Verbal Scale
Office of Shared Accountability
15
Figure 9. Distribution of Grade 10 PSAT Verbal Score Ranges
Among Students in Different Levels of English Courses
100
90
9
28
82
13
80
78
70
25
60
Percentage of Group
50
46
40
PSAT Range
30
Verbal 43 - 80
20
12
10
6
0
Below Eng.10
Reg. Eng.10
Verbal 37 - 42
Verbal 20 - 36
Honors Eng.10
Grade 10 English Level
These cut-scores on the PSAT Verbal scale for Grade 10 students provide some guidance for
student course placement decisions, but the cut-scores should not be interpreted as rigid markers
for later success or failure. For example, recall from Figure 4 that, although the median PSAT
Verbal score among students in the Honors English classes is 51, some of those students have
PSAT Verbal scores below 40. At the same time, many students in the regular English sections
have scores well above 43 and should be considered for more advanced course placements.
Figure 9 shows the percentages of students in the PSAT Verbal score ranges derived from
Figure 8. These data suggest that more than one-fourth (28%) of the students in regular English
sections have PSAT Verbal scores in the upper range. Also, about one-tenth of the students in
the ESOL/basic English sections have PSAT Verbal scores in the upper range. Such students
may benefit from encouragement and support to enroll in more challenging academic courses.
A similar analysis was conducted to examine the alignment of Grade 10 PSAT Mathematics
scores with subsequent SAT Mathematics scores of 550 or higher, with AP mathematics scores
of three or higher (any AP calculus or statistics test) or with remedial mathematics course-taking
upon college entry. The results in Figure 10 suggest that students with Grade 10 PSAT scores of
45 or higher are more likely than not to attain a score of 3 or higher on an AP mathematics test or
to attain a score of at least 550 on the SAT Mathematics scale. Conversely, students with
Grade 10 PSAT Mathematics scores of less than 42 are more likely than not to require remedial
Office of Shared Accountability
16
mathematics coursework upon college entry. This finding suggests that the Montgomery
College requirements for enrollment into college credit-bearing mathematics courses are
rigorous. Note in Table A2 in the technical appendix that a score of 45 is the average PSAT
Mathematics score in the Honors geometry sections of Grade 10.
As with the PSAT Verbal scores, these score ranges should be interpreted as general guidelines
rather than rigid cut-scores. In the context of encouraging students to take more challenging
courses, the Grade 10 PSAT scores should be used to seek out promising students who would
otherwise pass unnoticed for Honors course consideration. Conversely, students with PSAT
scores in the lower range who are nevertheless taking challenging courses may be identified for
further support and encouragement.
Figure 11 shows the percentages of students scoring in the PSAT Mathematics ranges identified
in Figure 10. (Only three levels of mathematics courses are shown because very few Grade 10
students in courses beyond Algebra 2 are not in the top range.) The results in Figure 11 suggest
that about one in four students in the regular Geometry sections (27%) is in the upper PSAT
Mathematics range, and that about one in eight Algebra 2 students (13%) is in the lower PSAT
Mathematics range.
The information in Figures 8 and 10 can serve as reference guides for estimating the difficulty or
ease that students may experience in attaining the three high school outcomes discussed here. In
Figure 10, for example, even though remedial mathematics course placement becomes more
likely than not below a score of about 42, there are nevertheless some students with scores close
to 50, about 20 percent of them, who may need remedial mathematics course work. Conversely,
some students with scores as low as 35 may, with effort and support, not require remedial
mathematics courses upon college entry. The student’s ultimate success is determined not by
test scores, but by the combination of motivation, sustained academic effort, curricular challenge,
and support from school staff and parents.
Office of Shared Accountability
17
Figure 10. Likelihood for Three High School Outcomes,
Given Grade 10 PSAT Mathematics Scores
1.0
.9
45
.8
42
Likelihood for Math Outcome
.7
.6
.5
.4
.3
Math Outcome
.2
Remedial Math
.1
AP Math 3+
0.0
SAT >= 550
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Grade 10 PSAT Math
Figure 11. Distribution of Grade 10 PSAT Mathematics Score Ranges
Among Students in Different Levels of Mathematics Courses
100
90
5
27
74
5
90
80
70
17
60
56
Peercentage of Group
50
40
PSAT Range
30
14
20
10
13
0
Math 46 - 80
Math 42 - 45
Math 20 - 41
<= Alg.1
Reg.Geo.
Alg.2
Grade 10 Math Level
Office of Shared Accountability
18
A THREE-YEAR REVIEW OF PSAT PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE AMONG
GRADE 10 STUDENTS IN THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TECHNICAL APPENDIX
Office of Shared Accountability
19
Table A1. PSAT Participation Rate and Performance for Student Demographic Groups
Asian
African
Am.
White
Hispanic
Female
Male
Current
FARMS
Current
ESOL
Current
IEP
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
1998
39.2%
493
48.8
54.3
.
11.1%
203
44.5
44.2
.
37.8%
1717
52.3
52.7
.
8.6%
89
46.9
46.5
.
32.8%
1434
51.1
50.8
.
24.8%
1076
50.5
53.9
.
10.8%
306
43.7
46.4
.
2.3%
9
38.9
46.9
.
11.1%
121
46.1
46.6
.
1999
36.1%
453
48.0
53.7
.
12.5%
243
41.8
41.8
.
34.3%
1616
51.7
52.4
.
9.7%
119
44.9
46.7
.
28.8%
1285
49.9
49.9
.
24.5%
1148
49.5
52.8
.
10.9%
337
41.9
45.8
.
2.7%
15
32.6
42.9
.
10.9%
131
42.2
43.4
.
YEAR
2000
2001
44.4%
88.1%
606
1216
50.0
44.7
54.4
50.0
.
45.6
15.7%
72.2%
307
1458
41.2
36.2
42.2
37.5
.
40.2
36.8%
88.0%
1790
4608
52.9
47.8
53.8
49.4
.
48.4
13.8%
61.0%
175
870
42.2
36.1
43.6
37.7
.
39.8
33.9%
84.0%
1523
4108
50.3
44.5
50.5
45.3
.
46.6
27.3%
78.1%
1362
4066
50.4
43.5
53.8
46.9
.
44.5
14.4%
66.4%
462
2284
41.6
35.8
45.1
38.5
.
39.5
4.6%
33.2%
29
206
32.3
28.9
44.1
35.7
.
35.2
10.9%
57.8%
131
692
42.8
33.2
43.9
35.3
.
37.4
2002
88.2%
1336
45.3
50.8
46.5
72.3%
1559
37.3
37.4
39.9
87.2%
4550
48.2
49.0
49.5
62.6%
971
36.5
37.4
39.0
82.3%
4226
44.9
45.1
47.2
78.9%
4207
43.8
46.4
44.8
66.0%
2349
36.6
38.3
39.4
45.1%
324
30.7
38.2
36.0
59.4%
706
34.7
35.7
37.9
2003
90.2%
1405
46.4
52.2
47.0
74.4%
1798
37.3
37.9
40.3
88.6%
4550
48.7
50.1
48.9
68.6%
1173
35.9
37.5
39.7
84.5%
4442
44.6
45.5
46.6
80.6%
4512
44.2
47.1
44.7
70.4%
2721
36.2
38.5
39.7
49.7%
360
29.5
35.2
35.3
62.1%
757
33.3
35.3
37.5
Note: YEAR refers to spring of school year. No PSAT Writing data compiled prior to 2001
Office of Shared Accountability
20
Table A2. PSAT Participation Rate and Performance for Student Academic Groups
Grd.10
Math
< Alg.1
Alg.1
Reg.Geo.
H.Geo.
Alg.2
Alg.2 &
Anl.
>=
PreCalc.
Grd.10
English
Basic
Regular
Honors
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
% Tested
n Tested
PSAT Verbal
PSAT Math
PSAT Writing
1998
3.6%
36
40.1
36.9
.
3.2%
36
39.5
36.7
.
21.7%
717
45.4
43.8
.
42.9%
114
49.2
48.7
.
43.2%
447
49.1
50.6
.
60.9%
1009
55.0
57.8
.
64.8%
151
60.2
68.3
.
1.8%
15
35.4
44.1
.
16.4%
779
43.6
46.1
.
55.4%
1640
53.7
54.5
.
1999
4.4%
50
35.3
34.5
.
4.3%
58
34.7
33.0
.
19.1%
628
43.5
42.8
.
39.8%
111
46.4
46.7
.
43.2%
445
48.8
49.9
.
57.5%
990
54.3
57.4
.
56.0%
150
60.6
66.3
.
1.7%
12
31.7
40.4
.
14.2%
731
41.4
44.3
.
51.8%
1619
52.9
54.1
.
YEAR
2000
2001
6.5%
53.2%
72
665
34.8
32.6
36.5
33.5
.
37.3
5.8%
58.5%
76
771
34.5
31.1
33.6
31.8
.
36.6
24.0%
85.9%
830
2935
43.9
40.1
43.2
40.3
.
42.3
46.1%
94.8%
171
420
49.2
46.4
48.9
47.3
.
46.8
44.4%
91.8%
428
1015
49.9
47.0
52.4
50.5
.
47.4
60.2%
96.8%
1107
2015
55.6
53.6
58.8
58.2
.
52.9
61.5%
96.1%
195
342
62.1
60.9
66.7
66.6
.
59.8
3.7%
27.8%
24
309
31.1
30.7
42.4
35.1
.
35.8
17.6%
81.8%
918
3962
42.7
37.4
45.0
39.9
.
40.3
55.2%
96.9%
1879
3899
53.8
51.8
55.3
53.3
.
51.7
2002
51.7%
621
32.9
33.1
36.9
58.5%
748
32.4
32.6
36.2
83.0%
2708
39.9
39.5
41.5
91.9%
417
45.7
45.7
46.4
91.5%
1169
46.5
48.1
47.3
97.5%
2292
52.7
56.1
53.8
97.2%
451
58.2
64.8
59.6
35.3%
422
31.5
36.3
36.3
79.3%
3463
37.4
39.1
39.6
95.7%
4536
50.9
51.8
51.8
2003
55.0%
586
32.0
33.0
36.7
57.5%
755
30.9
30.7
36.2
83.8%
2772
39.3
39.7
41.4
94.4%
424
43.6
45.5
45.1
92.9%
1377
46.4
48.5
46.3
97.4%
2464
52.8
56.4
52.3
97.5%
547
59.7
66.0
59.1
40.2%
485
30.5
35.0
36.0
79.9%
3388
36.7
38.9
39.6
96.0%
5071
50.8
52.4
50.6
Note: YEAR refers to spring of school year. No PSAT Writing data compiled prior to 2001
Office of Shared Accountability
21
Table A3. PSAT Participation Rate and Performance for High Schools, 2001–2003
B.C.C. HS
2001
2002
2003
M. BLAIR HS
2001
2002
2003
J. HUBERT BLAKE 2001
HS
2002
2003
CHURCHILL HS
2001
2002
2003
DAMASCUS HS
2001
2002
2003
EINSTEIN HS
2001
2002
2003
GAITHERSBURG
HS
2001
2002
2003
WALTER
JOHNSON HS
2001
2002
2003
KENNEDY HS
2001
2002
2003
MAGRUDER HS
2001
2002
2003
R. MONTGOMERY 2001
HS
2002
2003
NORTHWEST HS
2001
2002
2003
% Tested
PSAT
Verbal
PSAT
Math
PSAT
Writing
PSAT
Total
85.4%
89.8%
89.2%
74.9%
84.0%
81.2%
85.4%
85.7%
86.7%
95.5%
95.4%
96.7%
86.2%
82.8%
89.3%
80.1%
79.6%
80.6%
66.0%
62.1%
69.4%
85.9%
87.9%
87.3%
76.4%
74.7%
76.6%
85.3%
75.8%
82.6%
85.8%
84.6%
83.8%
75.8%
83.3%
82.8%
48.8
48.2
50.3
45.1
45.2
43.6
43.9
44.5
43.8
48.9
47.9
49.8
42.5
44.0
44.1
39.2
39.2
39.2
42.4
41.8
41.4
48.2
47.7
48.8
38.2
37.4
37.7
43.6
45.0
43.9
49.7
49.7
49.5
40.1
40.7
41.9
49.4
48.0
50.8
46.6
46.2
45.5
42.8
44.3
45.2
51.7
51.5
52.4
44.9
45.6
46.4
41.1
39.7
40.2
44.4
43.3
43.1
49.2
48.8
50.5
40.4
38.6
39.8
45.8
46.3
46.2
50.0
50.0
50.9
42.6
42.8
43.6
49.2
49.1
50.5
47.2
47.1
45.8
44.7
46.1
45.6
49.5
49.5
48.8
43.8
45.6
45.3
41.6
41.5
41.8
43.4
43.3
42.4
49.1
49.3
49.0
41.3
39.9
40.7
44.8
46.1
45.3
49.8
50.6
50.2
42.3
43.5
44.3
147.4
145.2
151.5
138.9
138.5
134.9
131.4
134.8
134.7
150.1
148.9
151.0
131.2
135.2
135.8
121.9
120.4
121.2
130.3
128.4
126.9
146.5
145.9
148.3
119.9
116.0
118.2
134.1
137.4
135.4
149.5
150.4
150.6
125.0
126.9
129.8
Note: YEAR refers to spring of school year.
Office of Shared Accountability
22
Table A3 (cont.). PSAT Participation Rate and Performance for High Schools, 2001–2003
PAINT BRANCH
HS
2001
2002
2003
POOLESVILLE
HS
2001
2002
2003
QUINCE
ORCHARD HS
2001
2002
2003
ROCKVILLE HS
2001
2002
2003
SENECA
VALLEY HS
2001
2002
2003
SHERWOOD HS 2001
2002
2003
SPRINGBROOK
HS
2001
2002
2003
WATKINS MILL
HS
2001
2002
2003
WHEATON HS
2001
2002
2003
WHITMAN HS
2001
2002
2003
WOOTTON HS
2001
2002
2003
% Tested
PSAT
Verbal
PSAT
Math
PSAT
Writing
PSAT
Total
80.6%
82.1%
83.3%
86.9%
94.3%
90.7%
85.2%
79.5%
78.5%
76.4%
80.3%
80.8%
81.5%
75.6%
79.5%
86.2%
80.4%
86.7%
86.5%
83.6%
84.1%
77.2%
70.0%
74.1%
74.1%
76.8%
75.8%
91.4%
87.7%
89.4%
92.1%
92.1%
95.3%
41.1
40.9
41.7
44.6
46.6
46.5
43.6
44.9
45.5
42.2
42.5
43.4
39.3
41.2
40.0
44.6
44.2
43.2
39.5
41.6
39.1
42.5
43.3
41.6
35.7
35.9
35.4
53.0
51.5
53.2
48.4
49.3
50.1
44.0
44.0
44.8
46.4
47.4
48.0
47.7
47.6
47.9
44.1
44.3
45.4
42.4
42.8
42.5
46.9
45.5
45.3
42.4
42.5
41.2
44.6
44.2
43.4
37.7
37.1
37.4
54.0
52.2
54.7
53.0
52.4
53.3
43.1
42.2
43.2
45.8
47.6
46.1
44.8
46.5
47.2
43.6
44.4
44.0
42.9
42.4
41.4
45.6
45.6
44.8
43.9
44.1
42.0
43.9
45.0
43.0
39.5
38.2
38.6
52.6
52.1
53.0
49.1
51.1
50.3
128.2
127.1
129.7
136.8
141.6
140.6
136.2
139.0
140.7
129.9
131.2
132.8
124.6
126.3
123.9
137.1
135.3
133.3
125.8
128.2
122.3
131.0
132.4
128.0
112.9
111.2
111.4
159.6
155.8
160.9
150.6
152.7
153.6
Note: YEAR refers to spring of school year.
Office of Shared Accountability
23