While SAT scores across the nation fell slightly for the third year, local school systems and those across the state held their own in 2007.

Georgia students who took the test scored an average of 494 out of 800 in critical reading - the same as in 2006. The average score in math was 496 out of 800, up one point from 2006. Georgia remained 46th in the nation with an average total SAT score of 1472 out of 2400, down five points from 2006. The national average score dropped seven points to 1511.

Carroll County Schools students averaged 492 in reading, up from 2006’s average of 485 but lower than the state average.

Carrollton City Schools students scored an average of 485 in reading this year, down from 492 in 2006.

Math scores in Carroll County fell from 481 last year to 474 this year and rose in Carrollton from 484 in 2006 to 488 in 2007.

Writing scores rose from 472 to 475 in Carroll County and fell from 486 to 474 in Carrollton.

Total scores for the SAT rose three points in Carroll County to 1441 but fell from 1462 to 1447 in Carrollton.

“You’re going to have peaks and dips in SAT scores because there are so many variables,” Carrollton City Schools Superintendent Tom Wilson said. “We are excited about the percentage of participation that we had.”

In Carrollton, 78 percent of seniors participated in the SAT testing, higher than the reported state average of 69 percent, and the number of black students taking the test doubled in Carrollton.

“Our goal is to have 100 percent of our kids take it,” he said. “We do not want to shut doors off to folks who want to go to college, that dream.”

However, he cautioned that a high participation level sometimes can drag scores down, because if only a small percentage of students take the test, it’s usually the ones in college preparatory courses.

Wilson said he was surprised by the writing scores because the Carrollton students generally score well in writing on standardized tests, but he said the SAT test data will be used just like all test data to point out potential weaknesses and analyze how the district can improve.

Carroll County had 301 students take the SAT, including nearly 40 percent of its seniors.

Kathy Rogers, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and student achievement, said the scores show an increase in the average score of black students in reading, 443, and math, 437. Both scores were higher than the state average and the national average for black students.

“We are very proud of the accomplishments of our African-American students and all of our students who took the SAT in 2007,” Rogers said in a statement.