WHY SCRAP THE SAT?

Following is a copy of a letter to the editor sent to The New York Times.

To the editor:
Re: COLLEGE PANEL URGES SHIFT AWAY FROM SATs (September 22, page 14.)

The SAT is the only true honest barometer of the academic ability of every student. It is the great equalizer. Grade averages and Regents scores are no meaningful indication of a student's ability to do liberal arts work. Here at Brooklyn Technical High School a student with a seventy-five average could easily have a ninety-eight average at an education milieu such as Boys and Girls High School or Erasmus High School. However, if the Tech student scores 2100 on the SAT while his counterpart at Boys and Girls achieves a 1400, a more valid assessment of their respective abilities can be ascertained.

When I taught at Hillcrest High School in the 1980's I had A students who routinely scored below 1000 (out of a 1600 maximum) on the SATs. In far too many schools youngsters can attain 90 averages just by showing up for class or staying out of jail.

SATs are also the only exams to be accurately marked and fairly graded, as they are not graded in house. Here in New York, the Regents examinations (which are routinely dumbed down every year) are graded in house, which results in massive cheating and scrubbing. With teachers and administrators receiving monetary bonuses (and performance evaluations) based on high scores, grade manipulation and tampering are epidemic and out of control