[pabianice]

released figures Tuesday showing combined critical reading and math skills fell seven points on average to 1021.

Let's not forget that, based upon the "re-norming" done since 1968, this is really a combined score of 821, which, in 1968, would have gotten you accepted nowhere. The NEA should be indicted for child abuse.

[BohDaThone]

All of the "re-norming" is taken into account in reporting past scores. If you go to the SAT web site, you'll see scores going back to 1967. The old scores are given as higher than they would have been reported back then -- in effect, renormed to be comparable.

So, scores have declined this year, but it isn't true that they are 80 ponts or so worse (the average "renorming" amount)than in the 80s and earlier. (I think the "renorming occurred around 1995).

[BohDaThone]

All of the "re-norming" is taken into account in reporting past scores. If you go to the SAT web site, you'll see scores going back to 1967. The old scores are given as higher than they would have been reported back then -- in effect, renormed to be comparable.

So, scores have declined this year, but it isn't true that they are 80 ponts or so worse (the average "renorming" amount)than in the 80s and earlier. (I think the "renorming occurred around 1995).