Local SAT scores hit five year low

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Local SAT scores hit five year low

Posted by

Cindy Eckles

in Top Stories

Friday, September 24. 2010

Comments (8)

By Cindy Eckles
The Dodge County High School graduating class of 2010 scored lower on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) than the state average.

The average total score for Dodge County was 1,393. This was 60 points lower than the state average of 1,453.

Superintendent Dr. Darrell May commented, “In a press release from the state superintendent’s office, it was noted that for the 2010 administrations of the SAT, Georgia had “the largest and most diverse group of graduating seniors in Georgia’s history” taking the test.

“Of the state’s 2010 college-bound seniors who took the SAT, 44.6 percent were minority students, up from 35.0 percent in 2005 and 30.4 percent in 2000. In addition, 37.9 percent of the state’s SAT takers indicated that they are first-generation college attendees.”

For the 2010 SAT, “Georgia’s public, private and home school students scored 1,453 on the SAT and the national average was 1,509. Public school students scored 1,442 on the exam and the national average score was 1,497.” Dodge County posted an average score of 1393 on the 2010 SAT falling below both the state and national average for public school students. In the Heart of Georgia RESA area, students in Dodge County had an average score which fell below that of students in Bleckley (1625), Telfair (1407) and Wilcox (1401) counties. Certainly, we know there is need for improvement in our SAT scores, and teachers are teaching with more rigor to help prepare students for the SAT as well as for entry into college or other post-secondary options.”

According to the Georgia School Council Institute, the class of 2010 scored lower than the prior four year graduating classes.

In 2009 the average score was 1,447, in 2008 the average score was 1,417, in 2007 the average score was 1,446 and in 2006 the average score was 1,415.
Dodge County ranked fourth in the Heart of Georgia RESA district.

The national average SAT score for private, public and home school students was 1,509. This is 116 points higher than Dodge County’s score. The national average for public school students only was 1,497. This is 104 points higher than Dodge County’s average.

The SAT is a college entrance exam that is developed, administered and scored by the College Board. The SAT is designed to test the subject matter learned by students in high school and the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in college. The test has three sections, critical reading, mathematics and writing. Each section is worth 800 points, for a possible score of 2,400.

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#1 Anonymous on 09/27/10 at 08:35 AM [Reply]

Since the scores are going lower we better spend another 10 or more million dollars and build a new school. No prayer and you better not spank my Sally or Little Johnny.

#1.1 Matt Oxley on 09/27/10 at 10:13 AM [Reply]

Try the prayer thing, see if that helps scores go up....

I'm betting no.

#1.1.1 Cherokee on 09/27/10 at 06:42 PM [Reply]

There are some folks like myself who KNOW that the POWER of prayer CHANGES things. We MUST try praying for the kids,their parents and our educaters then we will see the SAT scores change next year. So please don't bet that prayer will not change this situation because you just might loose your bet. God is mighty and can do more things through prayer than a man's mind can comprehend, ask me I have tried prayer on many occassions it worked for me and it will work for you and anyone if they try it. Faith in God is the key. God Bless!

#2 Marla on 09/28/10 at 09:57 AM [Reply]

Cherokee-

I also believe in the power of prayer, but God also gives us free will. God gives us the ability to learn, but it's up to the parents and children to use that ability to help better the students. While God definitely answers prayers, it's time for the parents and students to take some personal responsibility and strive to do better. That's the only way the SAT scores are going to go up.

#2.1 Cherokee on 09/28/10 at 02:16 PM [Reply]

Marla, what I am praying for is that God will give the kids and their parents a positive mind toward education. Both parents and students need to realize that that the student's futures are at stake and by them scoring low on the SAT they will not be able to get into college and get a decent job. I am praying that God give the educaters the knowledge on how tho deal with this situation to help the kids overcome this challenge. It is good to know that Dodge County educaters are not changing test scores like some of the other schools in the state of Ga. It is time for the parents to tell their kids to turn off the Rap, MTV,BET and the Monique show so they can focus more on their education. Focusing on sports needs to be a secondary priority in their lives.

#2.1.1 Matt Oxley on 09/29/10 at 07:40 AM [Reply]

Sports should be a secondary or tertiary priority not only in the students lives, but in the eyes of the school board, administrators, teachers, and coaches.

#2.1.1.1 aintscared on 10/31/10 at 08:33 PM [Reply]

I agree with you because they care more about sports than they do the education.

#3 Anon on 11/01/10 at 01:09 PM [Reply]

Maybe the SAT scores will improve when the teachers stop trying to teach just enough for the kids to score high &/or pass the CRT's and start actually teaching the subjects proficiently during the school year.

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