Flathead High's SAT scores are down, ACT scores are falling and the number of National Merit Scholars has dropped to only one.
Although this may seem foreboding, a decline in test scores is natural and not a cause for panic. In the past year, SAT scores have fallen 33 points in verbal from a median score of 562 to 529 and 18 points in math from 546 to 528.
ACT scores have had a less dramatic change, dropping about a point last year.
More significant, however, are the long-term statistics.
FHS has experienced a five-year decline of 12 points in SAT verbal and, even with a four-point gain, the school's overall SAT scores are climbing more slowly than those of the state of Montana and the nation in general in the subject of math.
Although these numbers may seem relatively straightforward, they can actually be deceptive.
"These are awfully small numbers when you're dealing with such a large number of students, both locally and nationally," said career counselor Craig Hunnicutt. "Increases and decreases are going to naturally occur. However, we shouldn't ignore decreases and it's worth keeping an eye on."
There are a number of factors that influence our school's test scores, explained guidance counselor Bob Moore. As more students take a test, numbers will go down, and every class is different.
According to the College Board 1996, FHS qualifies as a medium-volume school, meaning it has between 100 and 299 students taking the SATs annually.
Of medium-volume schools, three percent experience a one-year change of at least thirty points in verbal and approximately 20 percent fluctuate 18 points in math.
"Thirty-three points is a significant drop," Jeffrey Penn of the College Board of New York told The Arrow. "If your pool of students is relatively stable the administration might want to take a serious look."
However, Penn also stressed the importance of not reading too much into a test score. "The SAT is not really designed as a barometer of how a school is doing," Penn added. "We don't want to draw conclusions from this that weren't meant to be drawn Ñ the primary purpose is to help colleges choose kids who will succeed in their school."
And the administration is quick to note that colleges do choose FHS students.
"We continuously place students in good schools," said principal Cathy McDevitt. "There are some superb opportunities available at FHS if students and their families elect to take advantage of them and the outcomes of our programs have born fruit."
Said McDevitt:
"We have to ensure that our very good curriculum just gets better and that we constantly tune
ourselves up."