According to results released by the College Board, the Texas SAT math score average has fallen four points, the lowest average in more than 20 years.

Texas' average math score fell to 495, down from last year's 499, and the lowest Texas average since 1992's 493.  Texas' reading score of 476 was also a slight drop from last year, but two points higher than 2012's average which was the worst reading score in the last two decades.  For writing, Texas averaged 461 for the third year in a row.

State officials has equated the state's decline in SAT scores to the influx of minority students taking the exam.  In comparison, California surpassed Texas by 15 points in math and 22 points in reading, and with a similar racial split with California being 52.7% Hispanic and 25.5% White, and Texas coming in at 51.3% Hispanic and 30% White.  According to officials for the College Board, the drop in scores shows that students are missing opportunities to be better prepared,

The latest SAT results reaffirm that we must address the issue of preparedness much earlier and in a more focused way.

Students in the Class of 2014 missed opportunities that could have helped more of them make successful transitions to college and career.

The College Board also noted that of the nearly 180,000 Texas students who took the SAT, just over one-third met the college and career readiness benchmark requiring a score of 1,550 out of 2,400, compared to the national average of 42.6%.

Some have already noted Texas' dropping of Algebra II as a required course as part of the reason for the drop in Math scores.  Former Texas House member Bill Hammond, who opposed the dropping of Algebra II, said that the state dropping the course and other challenging courses will result in students receiving a mediocre education and failing to gain substantial jobs.  Also, Hammond noted that studies have shown a link between students skipping Algebra II and getting lower math scores of the SAT and ACT as well as being less prepared for college.

 

More From 106.3 The Buzz