Profiles in Education 1/10/24 edition is published quarterly by Anton Media Group.

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2B JANUARY 10 - 16, 2024 • PROFILES IN EDUCATION

PROFILES IN EDUCATION • JANUARY 10 - 16, 2024 3B

COVER STORY

Photo Getty Images

The SAT Goes Digital

Everything you need to know about the digital SAT

BY ANTON MEDIA STAFF specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

T

he SAT, or Scholastic Assessment Test, is a standardized exam widely used for college admissions in the United States. Traditionally paper-based, the SAT measures students’ readiness for college and is a key component of the admissions process.

You’ve probably already heard that College Board has started rolling out the digital version of the SAT. Some people think this is an exciting move in the right direction. But many people still have lots of questions.

Transitioning the SAT to a digital format offers several benefits. Firstly, it enhances accessibility, allowing test-takers to familiarize themselves with digital tools, mirroring modern educational and professional environments. Additionally, a digital SAT could provide quicker results, aiding students in timely college applications. Digital testing allows for adaptive assessments, tailoring questions based on a student’s performance, providing a more accurate measure of their abilities.

We asked around and did a little research into the new process and here’s

what we found out.

Is the SAT still important to take?

Yes. The SAT puts your achievements into a standard context. That means it shows off your qualifications to colleges and helps you stand out.

Most colleges—including those that are test optional—still accept SAT scores.

Together with high school grades, the SAT can show your potential to succeed in college or career.

day, the test will be digital starting in spring 2024.

Most students take the SAT for the first time in the spring of 11th grade. If you took the PSAT/NMSQT earlier this fall, you’ll already know what to expect with the digital SAT.

What’s staying the same?

Isn’t this just the same test but online?

-Still measuring the knowledge and skills that matter most for college and career.

-Still scoring the test on a 1600-point scale.

-Still administering the test in schools or test centers with a proctor present (not at home). Test centers will continue to be open to all students, not just those enrolled in that school.

-Still offering access to free, world-class practice resources.

-Still supporting all students, including those who need accommodations on test day.

When is the SAT going digital?

What’s changing?

No, College Board isn’t just going to take the paper and pencil test and put it on the computer. The testing authority reports enhancements to the test, citing a better experience for the test-taker.

Students testing outside the U.S. first started taking the digital SAT in spring 2023. If you’re in the U.S., whether you’re planning to take the SAT in a test center on a weekend or in school on a school

-You’ll take the SAT on a laptop or tablet.

-You’ll take a shorter test, about two hours instead of three. Find out how adaptive testing makes this possible.

-You’ll have shorter reading passages instead of a few long texts.

-You’ll be allowed to use your calculator on the entire math section and there’s a calculator built right into Bluebook, the digital testing application.

How do I register?

Registration for the spring 2024 digital SAT is not open. If you’re signed up for College Board emails, you already have the information that you need access to in order to register for a test date at a registered test center.

Important Dates

Friday, Feb. 23, 2024: Registration deadline for the March 2024 Digital SAT Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024: Late registration deadline for the March 2024 Digital SAT Saturday, March 9, 2024: The March 2024 Digital SAT test date begins at 7:45 a.m.

We typed in “New Hyde Park” on the test site locator and found 17 test sites within 10 miles with seats still available for the March 9 test date.

Seats and test locations will fill up and begin to close availability as the registration date begins to near on Feb. 23. Register early.

Visit www.collegeboard.org to practice and register for a digital SAT test.

4B JANUARY 10 - 16, 2024 • PROFILES IN EDUCATION

Roslyn, Great Neck, Syosset, Jericho Districts Rank Top In Nation Six of the thirteen top districts are on Long Island

C

hoosing a school often depends on the town or city the child lives in.

Many schools have a catchment area, which is the designated area in which the school operates and enrolls most of its pupils. However, some schools do allow pupils from outside of this area to enroll.

The quality of a child’s education can shape their future careers and lives and is an extremely important aspect that should be considered by all.

Experts at TeachSimple have analyzed reviews and ratings of each school district in the U.S and have ranked them from highest to lowest, 1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest. The scores are based on reviews from parents and students, statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, and user-submitted information from schools.

Across the U.S. there is a student-teacher ratio of 17:1, meaning that there are 17 students for every teacher. This number can only be used as an indication of class size and not as the true number of students. The national average expense per student is $12,239. This amount is used for teaching materials and student support services.

1

Radnor, PA, ranks first with 4.70/5. Radnor has a student-teacher ratio of 14:1, and the average annual teacher wage in the district is $101,804.

The district receives an average of $26,584 per student, and the majority of this is used for teaching and instruction materials.

2

South Texas Independent, TX, is second with 4.65/5.

The district has a student-teacher ratio of 17:1, with more than 50 percent of students eligible for free school meals. The average expense per student is $15,039 which is utilized for teaching materials and support services.

3

Roslyn Union, NY, is close behind in third with 4.63/5.

Roslyn has a high proficiency in both reading and math. The district also has a lower ratio of students-teachers with 13:1 and has an average expense of $32,874 per student.

4

Hewlett-Woodmere Union, NY, ranks fourth with 4.56/5. Twenty three percent of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch in the district and the average expense per student is $41,507. The district has a low student-teacher ratio of 10:1 which could indicate more bespoke teaching in classes.

and have a lower-than-average student-teacher ratio of 11:1.

5

In joint eighth are San Dieguito Union, CA, and Syosset Central, NY, with 4.31/5. While Syosset has a student-teacher ratio of 11:1, San Dieguito’s ratio is higher than the national average, standing at 25:1.

Eanes Independent, TX, and Scarsdale Union, NY, are joint fifth with 4.47/5.

Both districts have a lower student-teacher ratio than the national average, with Scarsdale Union having the lowest at 12:1. Reviews by former and current students mention the excellent sports programs at schools within Eanes Independent District.

6

Great Neck, NY, is sixth on the list with 4.39/5. Great Neck’s teachers are paid an average of $133,045 annually

7

Westport, CT, is seventh with 4.38/5. 4.8% of teachers in the district are in the first or second year of teaching and are paid an average of $97,725 annually.

8

9 10

Rounding out the list are Ladue, MO, with 4.30/5.

Township High School District 211, IL, in tenth with 4.25.

11

Half Hollow Hills, NY, with 4.24/5.

12

Joint twelfth place goes to Jericho Union, NY, and Palo Alto Unified, CA, with 4.14/5.

13

Tredfyrrin, PA, rounds out the top districts with 3.97/5.

“School districts are governed by town councils and local-level government.

As such, the funding and level of education offered differ depending on the finances available to that district,” said a spokesperson for TeachSimple. “The federal government funds schools through programs such as the Child Nutrition Act or Title I grants. These target low-income students and families in need of help.”

—TeachSimple (www.teachsimple.com) Sources: Niche school district review site

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PROFILES IN EDUCATION • JANUARY 10 - 16, 2024 5B

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6B JANUARY 10 - 16, 2024 • PROFILES IN EDUCATION

White House Announces Nearly $5 Billion In Additional Debt Relief

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Another 80,000 borrowers will receive forgiveness

he Biden-Harris Administration announced on Dec. 8 the approval of an additional $4.8 billion in student loan debt relief for 80,300 borrowers. These discharges stem from fixes made by the U.S. Department of Education to income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). The recent announcement brings the total approved debt cancellation by the Biden-Harris Administration to nearly $132 billion for more than 3.6 million Americans.

“Before President [Joe] Biden took office, it was virtually impossible for eligible borrowers to access the student debt relief they rightfully earned,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The data released once again make clear that the administration’s relentless efforts to fix the broken student loan system are paying off in a big way, with more than 3.6 million borrowers now approved for nearly $132 billion in loan forgiveness. This level of debt relief is unparalleled and we have no intention of slowing down.”

These debt relief approvals are in two categories: • $2.2 billion for nearly 46,000 borrowers through fixes to IDR that will provide borrowers with an accurate count of progress toward forgiveness and address longstanding concerns with misuse of forbearance. To date, the Biden-Harris Administration has now approved almost $44 billion in IDR relief for nearly 901,000 borrowers.

• $2.6 billion for 34,400 borrowers through PSLF. This includes borrowers who have benefited through the limited PSLF waiver and ongoing regulatory improvements to the programs. This brings total relief through PSLF up to $53.5 billion for almost 750,000 borrowers since October 2021. By contrast, only about 7,000 borrowers had received forgiveness

programs that leave graduates with unaffordable debts or insufficient earnings. In the wake of the Supreme Court decision on the administration’s original student debt relief plan, the administration continues its work to pursue an alternative path to debt relief through negotiated rulemaking under the Higher Education Act.

Photo Getty Images

through these programs at the start of the Biden-Harris Administration.

The administration has taken historic steps to reduce the burden of student debt and ensure that student loans are not a barrier to opportunity for students and families. The administration earlier this year launched the most affordable

student loan repayment plan— SAVE—which makes many borrowers’ monthly payments as low as $0 and prevents balances from growing because of unpaid interest.

The administration secured the largest increase to Pell Grants in a decade and finalized new rules to protect borrowers from career

Beyond the relief under IDR and PSLF, the Biden-Harris Administration has also approved: • $11.7 billion for almost 513,000 borrowers with a total and permanent disability.

• $22.5 billion for more than 1.3 million borrowers who were cheated by their schools, saw their institutions precipitously close, or are covered by related court settlements.

—U.S. Department of Education

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PROFILES IN EDUCATION • JANUARY 10 - 16, 2024 7B

NYSUT Report: State Testing, Graduation Requirements

W

ith momentum building across the state and nation to rethink the flawed standardized assessment systems that are limiting students, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) released a new report outlining new recommendations for state and federal policy makers.

NYSUT’s More Teaching Less Testing report is based on findings from a group of more than 65 educators, school-related professionals and higher education faculty who convened at the request of delegates at NYSUT’s annual convention this year.

The More Teaching Less Testing Task Force was charged with identifying how classrooms might look, sound and feel without highstakes testing. The members were also asked to identify recommendations that could improve and diversify, for evaluating collegeand career-readiness.

“We know that the modern workforce relies on skills like communication, collaboration, and ability to work as part of

a team—skills not necessarily measured by a standardized test,” said NYSUT President Melinda Person. “When it’s time to graduate, students should have multiple options to show they are ready. Expanding our graduation requirements to allow for career and technical education programs, capstone portfolios, or project-based pathways is how we prepare our children for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.”

In New York, the State Education Department convened a Blue Ribbon Commission to “explore what it means to obtain a diploma in New York state and what that diploma should signify.”

SED’s findings are set for release in November 2023.

In Congress, U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s proposed More Teaching, Less Testing Act would give states options to test less frequently and with more reasonable evaluation measures.

To meet the energy of both of these movements, the NYSUT

Photo Getty Images

Task Force crafted recommendations on both graduation requirements and state and federal testing mandates.

Key proposals include:

• Providing for additional pathways to graduation that do not rely solely on Regents exams, such as capstone projects, experiential and project-based learning, and career and technical education programs.

• Fixing the flawed grades 3-8 assessment system by revising

the content and structure of the exams and delinking the test results from teacher evaluations.

• Revising the federal testing requirements through the proposed More Teaching Less Testing Act with flexibility for states to make the exams more reasonable, useful and less stressful on students. This would allow for a return to a grade-span testing approach or the option to use representative sampling.

The recommendations build upon NYSUT’s firm and longstanding position that overreliance on standardized testing forces a “teach to the test” model that strips the joy of learning and teaching from our classrooms.

If adopted, these policies would revamp federal and state assessment systems to better support students’ natural curiosity and authentic education.

“From kindergarten to 12th grade, our Task Force found the overemphasis on these tests has limited students’ abilities to demonstrate knowledge in various ways and find joy in their exploratory learning,” said NYSUT Executive Vice President Jaime Ciffone. “It is long past time we make policy decisions that support our all of our students, with multiple measures of achievement and across diverse learning styles.”

Visit www.nysut.cc/moreteaching for the full report.

—New York State United Teachers (NYSUT)

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JANUARY 10 - 16, 2024 • PROFILES IN EDUCATION

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