Ratings for alternative schools are based on goals that usually differ from the general accountability standards. Those that met the goals were designated acceptable, and those that didn't will be reviewed further. Charter schools, operated independently of public systems but still subject to TEA oversight, are not rated in their first year of operation. Exemption rules were tightened for the 1999 tests, resulting in declining overall scores for some schools . The SAT, usually taken by college-bound high school students, is used by universities nationwide as a primary means of evaluating applicants.
Scores given are the average total on the test, which is divided into math and verbal sections.
A perfect score is 1,600. This represents the proportion of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches, the most commonly used measure of poverty among school populations. Some came from individual schools or districts. Certain specialty schools, charter schools and programs operated for districts by private contractors are not included in the listings because their students and programs are not comparable with those in school systems generally. The accountability system does not cover private schools.