Toldson, I. A., & McGee, T. (2014). What the ACT and SAT mean for black students’ higher education prospects(Editor’s commentary). The Journal of Negro Education, 83(1), 1-4.

Major changes are coming to the SAT. Both the SAT and the ACT are used to influence admissions and placement at colleges and universities in the US. In 2016, the SAT will return to a 1,600-point scale from 2,400, eliminate antiquated vocabulary words and assess students’ understanding of context rather than rote memorization. Throughout the history of the SAT and ACT, Black students’ average scores have been the lowest among all racial groups. Currently, the national average for Black students on the ACT is 17, compared with 22 for White students, and the national average for Black students on the SAT is 860, compared with 1,061 for White students. Black students’ scores on the SAT and ACT have been relatively flat for the last 20 years, although significant gains have been made in Black students’ graduation rates and college-degree attainment.

Full article can be found here:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7709/jnegroeducation.83.1.0001?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents