State's SAT scores lowest in U.S.

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Releasing the data four days ahead of schedule, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Inez Tenenbaum decried what she called an "unethical" leak of the data that she said would be used by her political opponents. Republicans said the drop, the first since 1999, showed the state's education system needs overhauling.

But for their part, Greenville parents said they were less concerned about rankings and more interested in reducing class sizes and recruiting quality teachers. They said they want more SAT preparatory classes and more honors and advanced placement courses for freshmen and sophomores.

Moreover, they said they want to know how their district and their schools fared — details they won't get until Tuesday.

"I definitely think the SAT is important, but I don't think that's the only thing that is important," said Corene Parks, whose daughter is a senior at Mauldin High. "I don't think the SAT score is a good determining factor on seeing how well a student is doing in school."

Just as important to a student's well being, she said, are classroom size and teacher resources. She said students are being asked regularly by schools to supply paper, pencils and other items.

Lee Elmore, an attorney whose daughter graduated last year from Greenville High, also sees more important priorities in the education system than making the SAT scores higher.

"I don't think it makes any dadgum difference," she said. "I'm tired of comparing us to everybody else."

"If the only standard we're going to hold them to is how well our children perform on standardized tests, we're going to lose all our teachers. I'd love to see us be in the position to have smaller classes, pay our teachers more and have more parental support."

South Carolina seniors averaged 986 on the SAT, three points lower than last year's average. Tenenbaum said the state average had dropped a point in math and two points in reading.

She pointed out that the state has gained 32 points on its SAT average since 1999, still the best improvement in the nation.

"I don't think we have to overreact," she said. "I'm sure plenty of students' scores have gone up. Thirty-two points in six years is a significant gain."

She said other test scores to be released in the coming months will show improvement. Among those figures, she said, are improvements in math by the state's eighth-graders to be reported later this year in the National Assessment of Education Progress. Their improvements topped the nation, she said.

Fourth-graders also ranked among the nation's best for improvements in math and reading in the same test. The state's PACT test results also will improve this year, she said.

Tenenbaum expressed confidence the SAT scores wouldn't damage her campaign, and pointed out that it was the first dip in six years of steady improvements.

U.S. Rep. Jim Demint, the GOP nominee in the Senate race, didn't blame her for the lower scores but said change is needed.

"I don't think any one person should take the blame or credit for our education system, but it is time we recognize we have a problem that's not going to be solved with more spending and incremental change," Demint said.

Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican, called the scores "unacceptable results."

"Bouncing back and forth between next to last and now dead last in the entire country again isn't progress — it's a sad reminder for many that our state isn't giving parents the choices they need in the education marketplace," he said.

Sanford said that with a 130 percent boost in education funding over 30 years, change, not more money, is the answer.

"Whether it's charter school reform or our 'Put Parents in Charge' proposal, this administration is going to continue pushing for fundamental reforms," said Sanford, who supports placing Tenenbaum's office in the governor's Cabinet.

Jim Foster, a spokesman for Tenebaum, said the state's increase of 32 points over five years "isn't bouncing back and forth." He said the state's base student cost, the state's financial building block in education, remains hundreds of dollars lower per pupil than what is called for under state law. He said the underfunding has shifted a heavier property tax burden onto local taxpayers.

Rep. Joe Neal, a Columbia Democrat who sits on the House Education Committee, said that in the 1970s the state paid 70 percent of each pupil's costs. Now the state pays 30 percent and school districts must pay the rest.

"What that means is poor districts across the state are frankly not able to generate adequate finances to compete with wealthier school districts in educating school children to the new standards," he said.

Gretchen Epting wasn't happy to hear about the drop, but like other Greenville County parents she said the score was only one measure of how the state's education system is doing.

"I think the SAT scores are important," said Epting, whose son graduated from Blue Ridge High as valedictorian last year.

"But so is classroom work and things of that sort. The SAT is a good indicator of what kids learn, but then some kids don't know how to test," she said.

"I don't think it should be the sole thing they take into consideration."

Tenenbaum attributed some of the decline to a higher percentage of seniors taking the exam, 62 percent compared to 59 percent last year. She said only about 23 states have the same or greater levels of student participation in the college prep exam.

"That's not comparing apples to apples," said Elaine Tennes, whose son attends Mauldin High.

Cathy Moore, whose son is a junior at Mauldin, said she expects to see improvements in Greenville County's SAT results when those scores are released next week. She said she didn't expect the dip in state results.

"It saddens me," she said.

Tenenbaum said she expects the bad news to generate negative ads in her campaign but said she doesn't think such tactics will work.

"It's unfortunate that this has occurred the same year I am seeking political office," she said.

"The sad part is there are people who delight in tearing South Carolina's public schools down. I feel like we have to do everything to build our teachers up and support our schools and not delight in news that might not be the best for that particular test score in that particular year."

Larry Allen, dean of Clemson University's College of Health, Education and Human Development, called the numbers a blip, saying that "the more important thing is the positive five-year trend.

"If it (the drop) sustains itself, that's something to worry about," he said.

Allen said neither the superintendent nor the Legislature have direct responsibility for test scores. The solution rests in improved teacher training and the creation of a "culture of education" from the kitchen table to the classroom, through the halls of government, he said.

Becky Greene, whose daughter attends Mauldin High, said responsibility falls on parents.

"I think there are a lot of parents out there who send their kids to school and expect the school to teach them 100 percent and then they don't offer anything at home," she said. "And you just can't do that."