School Rank by SAT Scores - 2008

First I would like to state my position, I do not think that standardized tests are the only way to rank schools. To take it further, I do not think lower schools should even have standardized tests.

However, I can understand and appreciate why high schools do test. Which brings me to the results of many months of research. Some schools are difficult to compare simply because they are Regents exempt. Therefore, they do not make Buffalo's School Ranking in Business First paper. This is why I took the time to do this.

I looked at the school ranking for Western NY. Then took the top 20, plus the Regent exempt schools for a comparison. I found the SAT scores for the year 2008. I put each school's Mean Reading and Math SAT score into a spreadsheet and sorted them by score. (I also have three year averages for some of the schools.) Here are the SAT scores.

1. Nardin
2. Nichols
3. City Honors
4. Canisius
5. Park Schools of Buffalo
6. Williamsville East
7. Buffalo Seminary
8. Mount St. Mary's
9. Clearance SHS


Nardin and Nichols were very close, less then a five points difference. Canisius and City Honors were only 10 points apart. Park Schools, Williamsville East and Buffalo Seminary had a tight grouping. To me when scrutinizing between two schools, if there is only 5, 10, 20 points between them I consider them "test taking equals".

From what I can tell, there is little difference between Nardin and Nichols' ability to perform on the SAT, whether you pull their three part or two part combined SAT scores. Their mean SAT scores were greater then 1800 and their two part combined reading & math were greater then 1200. I would think, that from year to year, they would flip back and forth between first and second place. Though, I would like to point out that between the top four spots there is only 22 points. With a little more work on reading (and writing for a three part SAT score) City honors could take on second place. They did well in Math. If it were based on Math, City honors wold be second place for 2008. Whereas Nardin has a very strong lead in Reading (and writing), first place by several points over all.

From City Honors on down to Buffalo Sem all schools scored greater then 1150 (1150 > 1200) on their two part combined reading and math. There is a 50 point drop to Mount St. Mary's and Clearance who hovered around 1100.

Why did this feel like I was at the horse races?

From the top score to ninth place there were 122 points. The reading and math scores are out of 1600 (two parts, 800 points each).

SAT scores are not weighted as are Regents exams. This may be part of the reason that Regents are use rather then SAT in school rankings. Note that Nichols, Canisius and Park Schools are Regents exempt. I did this little study because I want to understand how the Regents exempt schools fit into the academic picture, weighted or not.

Something I found interesting was the type of schools that ended up in the top tier for standardized tests. The top four of five schools are in the City of Buffalo's limits; Nardin (1st), Nichols (2nd), City Honors (3rd), Canisius (4th). The Park Schools of Buffalo (5th) use to be located in the city a long time ago. Three of the top five schools are progressive/magnet - "alternative learning methods" - Nardin has a Montessori (1st), City Honors (3rd) and Park Schools (5th).

Additional information - Three of nine are parochial, Catholic; Nardin (1st), Canisius (4th) and Mount St. Mary's (8th). Three of nine are public schools; City Honors (3rd), Williamsville (6th) and Clearance (9th).