Bowdon SAT math scores among the state’s best; Mt. Zion, Carrollton improve scores
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Local SAT scores were a mixed bag, with three schools making progress while three others’ average scores fell, according to a report released Tuesday by the Georgia Department of Education.
Bowdon, Mt. Zion and Carrollton students all improved their average SAT scores.
Bowdon High School scored the highest among schools in Carroll County with a average math score of 542. The score was one of the top 26 math averages of the 400 plus high schools in the state included in the report.
“One of the things that we’ve done at Bowdon is really encouraged our students to take the most challenging classes, especially in math,” said Bowdon High School Principal Travis Thomas. “I know this past year we had two AP (advanced placement) calculus classes, which is almost unheard of at a small school like Bowdon.”
That is a principle that has been in place for years and the students are reaping the benefits, not only on the SAT but on the graduation test. The school’s students scored an average composite score of 1514, beating the national average.
The school is continuing to help students improve their performance on the SAT this year, by adding a SAT preparation class for students interested in taking the test, Thomas said.
“That will hopefully benefit some more students that take the test from here on, but that wasn’t in place last year,” Thomas said.
Bowdon and Carrollton high schools both beat the state average SAT score of 1460 — Carrollton students scored an average composite score of 1469. But while Bowdon had only 25 percent of its graduating class take the test, 76 percent of Carrollton’s graduating class took the SAT.
“Another thing that we’re really proud of each year is the number of our students who do take the test,” said Joy Holley, assistant principal of curriculum at Carrollton High School. “When you get the participation rate by state many of the schools that are at the top of the SAT only have 40 to 50 percent of their students who take the test. We’re somewhere in the upper 70s range, low 80s each year of the graduating class have taken the test. We consider that good as well, that we have that many students taking the test and we still have a competitive average.”
If only the most competitive students take the test, it can inflate a school’s average score on a test, but since most universities require either the SAT or ACT test for entrance, it brings down the number of students who can continue on to higher education.
Carrollton offers SAT preparation classes for its students and encourages them to take the test more than once to become comfortable with the format of the test, she said. She believes the strategy helps students score higher on the test overall.
Temple, Villa Rica and Central high schools’ composite scores dropped on the SAT this year. Temple and Villa Rica students both scored an average of 1372 while Central students scored an average of 1411.
“Our math scores are a little lower than we’d like,” said Gail Parmer, assistant principal of curriculum at Villa Rica High School. “We’re working overall not only for SAT scores but for our graduation test scores, too, in raising those math scores and one will translate into the other.”
The school is offering two remedial math classes for at-risk students during the school day. There are 64 students in the class, who have been identified by test scores as struggling in math.
Last year, the school offered an SAT prep class during the school day, but with the cuts in budget, the class was one of those sacrificed.
“We have the SAT test prep course available to all our kids all the time that’s online,” Parmer said. “It’s really good.”
In addition, the school will offer a month of Saturday classes that will prepare students who want to take the SAT for the test. The Saturday tutoring can be more effective for the students than the semester long class anyway, she said.
“Often, they become sort of lackadaisical with the class day in and day out,” Parmer said. “But on the Saturdays, it’s a half day, they’re very focused. We’ve found it to be very successful.”
Bowdon, Mt. Zion and Carrollton students all improved their average SAT scores.
Bowdon High School scored the highest among schools in Carroll County with a average math score of 542. The score was one of the top 26 math averages of the 400 plus high schools in the state included in the report.
“One of the things that we’ve done at Bowdon is really encouraged our students to take the most challenging classes, especially in math,” said Bowdon High School Principal Travis Thomas. “I know this past year we had two AP (advanced placement) calculus classes, which is almost unheard of at a small school like Bowdon.”
That is a principle that has been in place for years and the students are reaping the benefits, not only on the SAT but on the graduation test. The school’s students scored an average composite score of 1514, beating the national average.
The school is continuing to help students improve their performance on the SAT this year, by adding a SAT preparation class for students interested in taking the test, Thomas said.
“That will hopefully benefit some more students that take the test from here on, but that wasn’t in place last year,” Thomas said.
Bowdon and Carrollton high schools both beat the state average SAT score of 1460 — Carrollton students scored an average composite score of 1469. But while Bowdon had only 25 percent of its graduating class take the test, 76 percent of Carrollton’s graduating class took the SAT.
“Another thing that we’re really proud of each year is the number of our students who do take the test,” said Joy Holley, assistant principal of curriculum at Carrollton High School. “When you get the participation rate by state many of the schools that are at the top of the SAT only have 40 to 50 percent of their students who take the test. We’re somewhere in the upper 70s range, low 80s each year of the graduating class have taken the test. We consider that good as well, that we have that many students taking the test and we still have a competitive average.”
If only the most competitive students take the test, it can inflate a school’s average score on a test, but since most universities require either the SAT or ACT test for entrance, it brings down the number of students who can continue on to higher education.
Carrollton offers SAT preparation classes for its students and encourages them to take the test more than once to become comfortable with the format of the test, she said. She believes the strategy helps students score higher on the test overall.
Temple, Villa Rica and Central high schools’ composite scores dropped on the SAT this year. Temple and Villa Rica students both scored an average of 1372 while Central students scored an average of 1411.
“Our math scores are a little lower than we’d like,” said Gail Parmer, assistant principal of curriculum at Villa Rica High School. “We’re working overall not only for SAT scores but for our graduation test scores, too, in raising those math scores and one will translate into the other.”
The school is offering two remedial math classes for at-risk students during the school day. There are 64 students in the class, who have been identified by test scores as struggling in math.
Last year, the school offered an SAT prep class during the school day, but with the cuts in budget, the class was one of those sacrificed.
“We have the SAT test prep course available to all our kids all the time that’s online,” Parmer said. “It’s really good.”
In addition, the school will offer a month of Saturday classes that will prepare students who want to take the SAT for the test. The Saturday tutoring can be more effective for the students than the semester long class anyway, she said.
“Often, they become sort of lackadaisical with the class day in and day out,” Parmer said. “But on the Saturdays, it’s a half day, they’re very focused. We’ve found it to be very successful.”
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