WHAT: The average SAT scores in reading and writing declined this year by one point, which is an insignificant difference, while math scores have still not changed. In addition, there is a disparity in the scores among the ethnic and racial groups and social economic status has proven to impact the students’ scores.

WHEN: This year (2009)

WHERE: American high schools

WHY: The article does not go into much detail in this aspect but it does mention that students’ family wealth and highest educational attainment of their parents has an impact on the students’ SAT scores.

HOW: Students take a major standardized test used for college admissions, known as the SAT or the ACT, in their senior year and results come back, showing how well each student did individually and as a high school class.

LEDE: The 1.5 million college-bound seniors in America that took the college admitting tests known as the SAT/ACT in 2009 scored lower this year by 1 point and the author observed that students’ family wealth and highest educational attainment of their parents has an impact on the students’ SAT scores.