For the fifth consecutive year, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) students outperformed the nation on all three components of the SAT, according to results released today by the College Board. Virginia Beach also led all other school divisions in Hampton Roads in scores for reading, math and writing. The 2016 scores are also the highest for the division since 2005, the last time the SAT was previously revised.

The College Board’s report announced today is based solely on SAT results for students who graduated from public schools in 2016 and who took the SAT through January 2016, which was the final administration of the former version of the SAT. The College Board unveiled a new test with a new scoring scale in March 2016. A total of 2,875 VBCPS Class of 2016 graduates took the SAT through January 2016. Their results were as follows:

• In critical reading, the division’s mean score was 514, or 27 points higher than the national average.
• In math, the division’s mean score was 511, or 17 points higher than the national average.
• Finally, for writing, the division’s mean score was 490, or 18 points higher than the national average.

“Preparing students for college and the workplace is at the heart of everything we do in Virginia Beach schools,” said Superintendent Aaron Spence. “We know that many colleges use SAT scores as an indicator of strong academic performance and college readiness; therefore, we are proud that our students are once again outperforming their peers across the nation.”

To support students academically and help prepare them for the rigor associated with SAT testing, all VBCPS tenth grade students participate in an online SAT course and have the opportunity to take part in SAT prep classes that are offered at each of the division’s high schools. The “Success with the SAT” course and prep classes are designed to build vocabulary, critical reading and writing skills as well as help students develop test-taking and problem-solving strategies. To learn more, visit the school division website, http://www.vbschools.com/students.

###

Department of Media and Communications, [email protected]

Like us on Facebook || Follow us on Twitter || Follow us on Instagram