The SAT Anomaly: Does Average Class Size Impact Average SAT Score?

Abstract

Because the SAT has the potential to set the trajectory of students’ educational careers, the SAT is arguably the most important examination for most American high-schoolers. Considering the importance of the SAT examination, we sought to examine whether there is a relationship between average SAT scores with average high school class size per public school district. Using Georgia county-level data, our findings indicate that there is a minute and statistically insignificant correlation between average class size and average SAT score. Our results do show, however, that other variables such as median household income, average expenditure per pupil, and average educational attainment do have statistically significant correlations with average SAT score.