Indiana SAT scores are trending downward, and officials suggest redesigning the standardized college entrance exam might be the reason.
The Department of Education released scores Wednesday, showing that of the 80,000 high school juniors who took the exam in 2023-24, only about 24% met the math and English combined benchmark. It marked a 4.4% decline from the previous year.
The IDOE results showed that 51.8% of juniors were above the English benchmark and 25.2% were above the math SAT benchmark, a 5.5% math drop from last year.
The newest SAT version is shorter and more adaptive, building upon previous answers. Calculator use is permitted throughout.
The College Board, which designed the exam, said it’s seen a decrease in scores nationally, including Indiana.
State law requires the IDOE to give the SAT, and it serves as the federal accountability high school assessment for 11th graders.
Secretary of Education Katie Jenner said the assessment redesign caused the mean score to decrease nationwide and in Indiana.
Members of the State Board of Education expressed concern over students who are chronically absent and miss 18 days or more because they scored lower on the SAT. Only 17.5% met the college-ready benchmark.
“There’s probably some students that are not college bound … don’t want to be college bound… that may not take this test as seriously as others,” said board member B.J. Watts. “We’re forcing students to take a test that they have zero interest in.”
The IDOE is redesigning Indiana’s high school graduation requirements and Jenner said those changes have become more urgent based on the SAT scores. The new diplomas, based on graduation pathways, would take effect for the Class of 2029.
The point system requirements lean into a work-based training philosophy. Two different graduation pathway diplomas would be offered. The GPS Diploma is considered less rigorous with points earned from job training, JROTC, and strong SAT or ACT scores.
The GPS Diploma Plus has a tougher criterion, including the completion of 75 hours of “high quality work-based learning,” although those specific details haven’t been established yet.
Students will be able to take more dual-credit college courses and take part in personalized pathways focusing on internships, apprenticeships, military experience and other work-based training.
Munster High students posted the highest combined SAT proficiency rate at 53.5%.
“The SAT results are a great indicator of the hard work our teachers, staff, and students are putting in at Munster High,” said Superintendent Bret Heller. “However, we are closely monitoring the new high school diploma proposal and its potential impact on preparing students to meet the College and Career benchmarks within the SAT.”
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
SAT at a glance*
Percentage at college-ready benchmark
Indiana-24.1%
Munster – 53.3%; Morgan Twp. – 47.7%; Lake Central – 44%; Valparaiso – 41.6%; Washington Twp. – 41%; Andrean – 38.1%; Chesterton – 34.1%; Crown Point – 33.1%; Hanover Central – 30.9%; Highland – 29.7%; Lowell – 28.5%; Kouts – 28.1%; Boone Grove 27.8%; Marquette (private) – 26.6%; Bishop Noll (private) – 23.7%; Hammond Academy of Science & Technology (charter) – 21.7%; Hebron – 18.2%; Hobart – 17.9%; Portage – 12.7%.
Whiting – 11.3%; Griffith – 10.9%; Merrillville – 9.1%; Calumet New Tech – 4.3%; Lake Station – 3.5%; East Chicago – 2.9%; River Forest – 2.5%; 21st Century (charter) – 2.2%; Hammond Morton – 1.6%; Hammond Central – 1.1%; West Side Leadership Academy – 0.5%; Gary Lighthouse (charter – 0%; Thea Bowman (charter) – 0%, Steel City Academy (charter) – 0%.
*Indiana Department of Education
