Georgia SAT scores drop again

Georgia’s average score on the SAT college admissions exam fell for the second consecutive year, according to results released Tuesday morning.

The state’s results dropped by six points to 1,466. But the national average held steady at 1,511 — 45 points higher than Georgia’s average, according to the College Board, which administers the test. A perfect score is 2,400.

Along with the drop in score, Georgia’s national ranking slipped one position to No. 47.

State schools Superintendent Kathy Cox said the results show more work is needed. She predicted results will improve as the state rolls out its new curriculum, which Cox has said is more challenging. She said scores also will go up through the new graduation requirements which started with this year’s freshman class. The rules require students to take four years of math and science.

In 2006, Gov. Sonny Perdue cheered about Georgia no longer having the lowest SAT scores. In a news release Tuesday he said that while SAT scores have since decreased, graduation rates are up and so are results on the ACT, another college admissions test.

He said the state will “analyze these SAT results and our SAT programs to make sure we are doing everything we can to help students prepare for this test.”

This was the third year of the longer, redesigned version of the widely used test. The new SAT has three sections, each worth up to 800 points. The revamped exam includes a writing section and more challenging reading and math questions.

The scores are from Georgia’s 2008 high school class.

2008 SAT results

Atlanta 1,300

Clayton 1,268

Cobb 1,523

DeKalb 1,338

Fulton 1,593

Gwinnett 1,521

State 1,466

National 1,511

Source: College Board and Georgia Department of Education.