PHIL WIELAND: Hey, did you read about ... oh, probably not

SAT reading scores are so low for the class of 2011 that schools should consider skipping the issuance of diplomas since most of the kids won't be able to read them anyway.

SAT stands for, well, nothing. It used to stand for the Scholastic Aptitude Test and was changed to the Scholastic Assessment Test. That was dropped because apparently nobody really cared what it stood for except that most colleges require applicants to take it or the ACT to be admitted. You'd probably have to score a minus something to be rejected, but they still want you to at least put forth some effort.

A news report this week stated the average reading score for 2011 grads was at an all-time low of 497 out of a possible 800. That's barely better than random guessing will get you, but, according to the experts, the problem is not that Johnny and Janey can't read. The problem is they are too optimistic.

The College Board, the folks who bring you the test, said the results reflect the record size and diversity of the pool of test-takers. They said more kids hope to get into college, which lowers the average score because you get more underachievers.

The reading score is down 11 points since 2005. If that was the stock market, people would be panicking and academic sorts would be leaping from their ivory towers. Combine that with the drop in the SAT math score, which fell one point to 514, and we'd have ourselves a full-blown educational depression.

Fortunately, we have Gary Phillips, chief scientist of the American Institutes of Research, to tell us not to put all our educational eggs in one SAT basket. Other test results show, as Phillips said, "we're treading water in the long run." Lest you think that's a good thing, he said, "Based on the international comparisons, we're still not doing all that well."

Duh. Another expert, Bob Schaeffer, public education director for Fair Test, a group that is a long-time critic of the SAT, said the test had a bigger increase in the number of students taking it in 2003, but the scores went up 6 points.

"Yes, changing test-taker demographics matters. No, they don't explain an 18-point drop (in the combined scores) over five years," Schaeffer said.

It's not too surprising that reading scores are so low. Schools no longer teach cursive writing, and reading seems likely to be the next obsolete art form in this YouTube/cellphone app world.

It will be harder for future generations to avoid repeating history's mistakes. How can they if no one can read about the past? Unless there's an app for it.

The opinions are those of the writer. He can be reached at phil.wieland@wni.com or (219) 548-4352.