Media release: Floyd County Schools' SAT scores released on Monday, September 24, 2012 by the College Board were once again well above the state and national average scores. As a system, Floyd County Schools posted a total score of 1514; an increase of four points over last year. Armuchee High had the highest score among Floyd County high schools with a score of 1536, a 26 point increase over last year. All four Floyd County high schools surpassed the state average and all but one topped the national average. The state average score for 2012 was 1452 and national average was 1498.
Floyd County students achieved a verbal score of 512, a math score of 514 and a writing score of 488; verbal and math scores were increases over last year. Floyd County outdistanced the state on each section of the test. The state scored 488 on verbal, 489 on math and 475 on the writing section. Floyd County topped the national average of 496 verbal,and the system was even with the nation at 514 in math and 488 in writing.
In posting the highest score in the school system, Armuchee High students achieved scores of 527 verbal, 513 math and 496 writing this year; Coosa students had a total score of 1532 with 516 verbal, 517 math and 499 writing; Pepperell High students had 1506 total score with 510 verbal, 512 math and 484 writing; and Model students totaled 1476 with 489 verbal, 513 math and 474 writing.
To achieve gains in SAT scores, Floyd County Schools made a number of academic enhancements over the last nine years. Academic enhancements included an increase in the number of advanced academic courses available to students, providing SAT prep classes, the Honors College Prep advanced academic program was started, and the system introduced Georgia's first electronic classrooms that allow one teacher in a high school or middle school to teach students in all of our middle and high schools. "Studies show that increases on these tests are the result of an increase in rigor offered and taken by students," stated Dr. Lynn Plunkett, superintendent of Floyd County Schools. "Our advances in curriculum available in our schools and the dedication our students are exhibiting in taking and working hard in the more difficult classes are certainly showing in these SAT scores."
Floyd County Schools has earned three honors in the Governor's Cup SAT competition since the award's inception in 2004. Model High won the state title in 2008 for the top gains in SAT for Class AA. Coosa High also won the state title in 2004 and the region title in 2007.
Floyd County Schools has made the following enhancements in the academic program in recent years to improve student performance:
- Addition of honors level classes
- Increased expectation for student achievement
- SAT Prep classes
- Extensive training for English and mathematics teachers in test preparation
- Increased emphasis on vocabulary in all core classes
- Increased use of SAT format in instruction
- Guidance and counseling focused on preparation and readiness for SAT
- Emphasis on summer reading
- SAT prep activities incorporated into daily instruction including: SAT word of the day, SAT math problem of the day, etc.
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 worth 800 points, for a highest possible score of 2,400.
The SAT can be taken by any student, even if they have not been on a college bound course of study in high school. Students can take the test multiple times to improve their score during their high school career, but only the last score recorded by a student is used for SAT reporting purposes by the College Board. Colleges and universities use the student's best score for admission. Each Floyd County high school encourages students to take the test more than once to improve their standing for college admission. The College Board report does not reflect the best score of a student or a school class.
The College Board discourages the use of SAT scores to rank states, districts, and schools. Although the SAT is a strong indicator of trends in the college-bound population, it should never be used alone for such comparisons because demographics and other non-school factors can have a strong influence on scores. Factors, such as courses studied in high school, family background, and educational level of the parents, can have significant influences on scores. By studying other indicators, such as retention rates, graduation rates, number of higher level academic courses taken by SAT test-takers, and scores on other standardized assessments, educators can use these data, in conjunction with SAT scores, to make data-driven decisions that impact curriculum and instruction.
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