THE SCHOOL BOARD OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Research Services has completed a study of the utility of the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (hereafter: PSAT) for predicting future success on college entrance examinations and in advanced placement (AP) programs for Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) students. Additional analyses were conducted to examine the characteristics of students who choose to take the PSAT compared with students who do not. As the PSAT was administered on two days, Tuesday and Saturday, analyses were also conducted to examine the characteristics of students who choose to participate on each day. Predictive utility analyses conducted in relation to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Norm-Referenced Test (FCAT-NRT) and Sunshine State Standards (FCAT-SSS) tests revealed that the PSAT was a stronger predictor of college- level abilities as measured by the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) than was either the FCAT-NRT or FCAT-SSS. The predictive advantage enjoyed by the PSAT over the FCAT-NRT and FCAT-SSS was regarded as moderate because both the FCAT-NRT and FCAT-SSS were likewise potent predictors of SAT performance. In terms of predicting American College Test (ACT) performance, both FCAT versions as well as the PSAT were regarded as equally potent in predicting performance. Additional analyses revealed that higher achieving, non-minority students were more likely to take the PSAT than were minority students or students with lower academic achievement. Examinations of student characteristics also showed that students who took the PSAT on Tuesdays were more likely to be minorities and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds than were Saturday participants. A PSAT Committee headed by Fay Clark, Executive Director