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Substantive Critical Thinking as Developed by the Foundation for Critical Thinking Proves Effective in Raising SAT and ACT Test Scores



Substantive Critical Thinking as Developed by the Foundation for Critical Thinking
Proves Effective in Raising SAT and ACT Test Scores at West Side High School.

Staff Development Program Utilizes Critical Thinking Instruction
to Improve Student Performance on ACT and SAT Tests, and in Critical Reading, Writing and Math

   I believe there is a strong correlation between both our ACT and our SAT scores and our critical thinking initiative.  Our ACT scores of 24.2 for 2004-05 and 2005-06 have been the highest in school history.  When you accompany these results with our demographic changes we feel that these changes are significant.  Our SAT Scores for 2003-04 were Critical Reading 613 (this is the highest verbal/Critical Reading in 40+ years) and 619 for math (second highest of all-time). Our SAT scores for 05-06 are Critical Reading 606 (third highest in history) and math 620 (tied for the highest all-time).  When I refer to our demographic changes I am specifically referring to an increase in our percentage of "Free and Reduced" lunch numbers (from 5% a few years ago to now over 20%).

    When you factor this with our test results and our participant rate (over 80%) you can see why we feel strongly about our critical thinking initiative.

Dr. John Crook
West Side High School Principal
Omaha, Nebraska —12/12/06

NCA Final Documentation Report


Files available for download  »
  • NCA_Final2.pdf
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  • SchoolData1.doc
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  • Scores 90 to 06.doc
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    Please do not pass this message by.

    CRITICAL THINKING IS AT RISK.

    Here are some of the big reasons why:

    1. Many people believe that critical thinking should be free and that scholars qualified to teach critical thinking should do so for free. Accordingly, they do not think they should have to pay for critical thinking textbooks, courses, or other resources when there is "so much free material online" - despite how erroneous that material may be.
    2. There are many misguided academicians, and some outright charlatans, pushing forth and capitalizing on a pseudo-, partial, or otherwise impoverished concept of critical thinking.
    3. Little to no funding is designated for critical thinking professional development in schools, colleges, or universities, despite the lip service widely given to critical thinking (as is frequently found in mission statements).
    4. Most people, including faculty, think they already know what critical thinking is, despite how few have studied it to any significant degree, and despite how few can articulate a coherent, accurate, and sufficiently deep explanation of it.
    5. People rarely exhibit the necessary level of discipline to study and use critical thinking for reaching higher levels of self-actualization. In part, this is due to wasting intellectual and emotional energy on fruitless electronic entertainment designed to be addictive and profitable rather than educational and uplifting.
    6. On the whole, fairminded critical thinking is neither understood, fostered, nor valued in educational institutions or societies.
    7. People are increasingly able to cluster themselves with others of like mind through alluring internet platforms that enable them to validate one another's thinking - even when their reasoning is nonsensical, lopsided, prejudiced, or even dangerous.
    8. Critical thinking does not yet hold an independent place in academia. Instead, "critical thinking" is continually being "defined" and redefined according to any academic area or instructor that, claiming (frequently unsupported) expertise, steps forward to teach it.

    As you see, increasingly powerful trends against the teaching, learning, and practice of critical thinking entail extraordinary challenges to our mission. To continue our work, we must now rely upon your financial support. If critical thinking matters to you, please click here to contribute what you can today.

    WE NEED YOUR HELP TO CONTINUE OUR WORK.

    Thank you for your support of ethical critical thinking.