Georgia's average SAT scores decline despite state curriculum improvements

Scores were down in two of the three categories tested. The 66,019 Georgia students who took the test saw their math score drop from 493 in 2009 to 490 this year, and their writing score fell from 491 to 475 over the same period. Their reading score, however, rose from 479 in 2009 to 488 this year. State students' scores fell in all three categories in 2009.

While its score was among the lowest, Georgia had the eighth-highest participation rate at 74 percent. Approximately 44.6 percent were minority students, up from 35.0 percent in 2005 and 30.4 percent in 2000.

States with higher participation rates generally have lower scores, particularly in states such as Georgia that have larger minority populations that typically do not do as well on the exam as white students.

Marlyn Tillman of Snellville said she is not surprised Georgia's SAT score is sinking even as the curriculum changes.

“I think it says we have a lot of work to be done,” said Tillman, whose son is a freshman at Syracuse University. “Georgia focuses so much on behavior and not enough on academics. They are retooling their curriculum and still using the old methodology on how to teach. It is being reflected in SAT scores. The SAT tests reasoning, and we are not giving students the capability to think outside the box.”

State Department of Education officials said improvements to the core curriculum under the Georgia Performance Standards will eventually lead to marked gains for most schools on the SAT, but the majority of test-takers in the Class of 2010 did not face the new requirements. They spent the majority of their high school years learning under older curriculum standards that did not push students as aggressively to reach national levels of achievement.

"We tested a significantly higher proportion of students that had traditionally been in the lower end of the performance gap,” state Schools Superintendent Brad Bryant said. “Those students may not be as well prepared to do well on a test that measures college preparation because they have not had the format ... that would allow them to be as successful on that test. If we can get more of our students through the core curriculum, that is when we are going to see a significant bump in our SAT scores. We have added far more rigor to the standards."

The state’s highest scoring school, the Advanced Academy of Georgia in Carrollton, had an SAT average of 1979 among its class of live-in students.

Northview High School in Fulton County, the highest scorer in metro Atlanta with the largest group of students, had the state's third-highest average. Nearly 600 test-takers at Northview scored an average of 1728, with at least one students getting a perfect 2,400. Northview principal Pamela Spalla credited Advanced Placement courses for the success.

Northview students were excited about their scores.

“Go seniors!” said Megan White, who scored a 2,330 on the SAT. “At Northview, the expectation is that you are going to study and get reasonably high SAT scores. Otherwise you become the outlier. It's the culture here."

Walton's principal Judy McNeill said the school's scores fell slightly to 1711 but still remain strong. “We consistently encourage our students to take rigorous courses so they are prepared to take the test,” she said. “We want our students to do as well as they can.”

Public school students in Georgia scored an average of 1,442 on the exam, down eight points from 2009. The national average score was 1,497.

Each section of teh SAT is worth 800 points. Students who took more advanced courses fared better on the SAT than those who didn’t.

Many metro area districts saw their scores decline despite high performers. Fulton County Schools' average score dipped four points  to 1,580, despite having six schools among the state's top 25 performers on the SAT. The Cobb County School District saw its average score sink 11 points to 1523. Other districts, such as Gwinnett County Public Schools and the Cherokee County School District, posted gains, led by increases in critical reading and math.

Etowah High School in Cherokee had its district's highest average score at 1,679. Principal Keith Ball marveled at the gain posted by his school, which saw a 131-point increase overall.

"We did unbelievably well across the board," Ball said. "Between the kids, the parents and the community support, we have the perfect storm for success."

While the SAT measures students in three sections, many of Georgia’s public colleges focus on the reading and math scores.

Figures for this year’s freshman class are preliminary, but their average scores are higher than the 978 average posted in math and reading by Georgia’s class of 2010.

The average math and reading SAT score for Georgia Tech’s freshmen was 1376. For the University of Georgia it was 1264. Freshmen at Southern Polytechnic State University scored 1132. At Georgia State University the average was 1105, and Kennesaw State University freshmen earned a 1079.

The average reading and math SAT for Georgia’s college freshmen has increased in recent years -- from 1016 in 1999 to 1095 in 2009, according to data kept by the University System of Georgia. These scores include Georgia natives and students who attended high school elsewhere.

Staff writer Laura Diamond and The Associated Press contributed to this article.

SAT directory

To check on how your school performed on the SAT, go to www.ajc.com/news/georgia-2010-sat-scores-612927.html.

Top SAT scores

These high schools had the highest average SAT scores in metro Atlanta:

1. Northview (Fulton): 1728

2. Alpharetta (Fulton): 1719

3. Walton (Cobb): 1711

4. Chattahoochee (Fulton): 1687

5. Wheeler (Cobb): 1655

6. Pope (Cobb): 1653

7. Brookwood (Gwinnett): 1651

8. Milton (Fulton): 1650

9. Riverwood (Fulton): 1640

10. Lassiter (Cobb): 1633

11. Chamblee (DeKalb): 1628

12. Roswell (Fulton): 1627

13. Lakeside (DeKalb): 1617

14. Centennial (Fulton): 1596

15. Parkview (Gwinnett): 1588

16. Mill Creek (Gwinnett): 1586

17. Collins Hill (Gwinnett): 1580

18. Harrison (Cobb): 1577

19. Johns Creek (Fulton): 1561

20. N. Gwinnett (Gwinnett): 1560

Source: College Board