Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy leads Idaho on SAT

by Devin Weeks, Coeur d’Alene Press

Idaho’s SAT scores are in.

Some area students have reason to feel pride in their performance: They set the curve for the entire state.

The State Department of Education announced Monday that Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy achieved the highest total average SAT score — 1,279 — among all Gem State districts and charter schools.

On the reading and writing section of the collegiate-entrance examination, the charter school’s average score was 628 out of 800. The students’ average math score was 651 out of 800, well above the college and career readiness benchmarks of 480 and 530, respectively. A perfect total score is 1,600.

North Idaho scores:

Coeur d’Alene High: reading 525; math 524; total 1049.

Lake City High: reading 515; math 490; total 1,005.

Venture High: reading 416; math 395; total, 811.

Timberlake High: reading 507; math 504; total 1,011.

Lakeland Senior High: reading 507; math 506; total 1,013.

Mountain View Alternative High: reading 506; math 490; total 996.

Post Falls High: reading 495; math 483; total 978.

The state average reading score this year was 496; the average for the mathematics sections was 480, for a total of 976, according to the Department of Education.

Coeur d’Alene School District spokesman Scott Maben said his district’s results were good, “with growth in nearly all areas of the district and many schools.”

“We rose 13 points overall with growth observed in evidence-based reading and writing (3 points) and mathematics (12 points),” he said.

Lakeland Superintendent Becky Meyer said she was extremely proud of Lakeland’s students.

“Our scores are again above the state average and show the focus our staff has on ensuring all students are college and career ready,” she said.

Post Falls and the state overall did not fare as well.

“The Post Falls High School scores are down from last year’s class,” said Post Falls Superintendent Jerry Keane. “Unlike many of our other tests, there is very little diagnostic information provided by the SAT for us to use to adjust instruction.”

School-by-school results show a general decline from last year’s scores. Idaho’s average scores were less than last year’s scores of 502 for reading and 486 in math, a total 988.

The number of 11th-graders who took the SATs increased from 19,783 to 19,178 in 2018.

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