Zoom glitches, Wi-Fi problems and trying to learn from the comfort of bed are just some of the reasons why COVID got in the way of online learning. Here in the Sunshine State, SAT/ACT scores are on the decline. This, according to the data, may be due to the pandemic and online school.
When speaking about the long term impacts of pandemic learning, junior Chloe Ruiseco adds, “I think it impacted the information I was obligated to absorb.”
Many adolescents have expressed in recent years, that online learning was not conducive to a challenging and enriching learning experience. Teenagers especially faced consequences for this. Many students who took the SAT/ACT from 2021-2023 were taking core classes like algebra, geometry, English and sciences like chemistry and physical science through Zoom. These core classes are the brunt of what the SAT and ACT subjects test, leading to a decline in the average scores in the past couple of years.
I had taken algebra and geometry in middle school, and during COVID my quality of education was really bad because it was online, so I didn’t really learn much.
— Senior Ines Unda
From 2021-2023 the mean SAT scores here at ILS went from 1147 in 2019 to 1113 in 2020 to an average of 1099 in 2021, 1088 in 2022 and, 1083 in 2023. When it comes to the ACT, the average score in 2019 and 2020 was a 22.1. In 2021, the score went down to a 20.7, a 20.8 in 2022, and 20.3 in 2023.
Despite the hardships faced by many in adjusting to online schooling during the pandemic, some students believe Zoom had beneficial impacts.
“The popularization of Zoom not only made SAT tutors more accessible, but also helped organize their curriculums to fit anyone’s day-to-day schedule,” explained senior Alejandro Esperante.
In addition to the mean scores decreasing, the benchmarks at ILS have decreased as well. In 2019, the percentage of students who met both benchmarks for the SAT was 65%, and that went down significantly to 2023 with now the benchmark being at 50%. For the ACT, the benchmark went from 82% in 2019 to 67%.
According to the collegeboard, the national average for the ACT is the lowest it has been in 30 years. Nonetheless, Florida is one of the states with the lowest overall score.
Could this be solely because of COVID, or are there other unaccounted for factors?
