Memorandum from Mary Kay Murphy
Mary Kay Murphy, Ph.D. District 3  School Board Member marykaymurphy@aol.com

September 8, 2006

SAT Scores in Gwinnett Top State, Nation

   There is good news to report to District III—including Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Duluth, and Berkeley Lake—about SAT (Scholastic Achievement Test) scores for Gwinnett County 2006 test takers.

   According to results reported by the Gwinnett County Public Schools, the Class of 2006 test-takers topped Georgia and the nation in performance on this key measure of academic achievement on all sections of the test. These measures include critical reading, mathematics, and writing. 

   Duluth High School students scored second of sixteen high schools in Gwinnett County with an average score of 1593. Norcross High School students scored fourth of sixteen Gwinnett County high schools with an average score of 1568.

   Highlights of the Gwinnett County Class of 2006 SAT performance includes the following:

  • Gwinnett’s average composite score on the SAT is 1541, a combination of both critical reasoning score of 508, the average mathematics score of 532, and the average writing score of 501. Possible scores range from 200 to 800 on each section. The highest possible composite score is 2400.
  • Gwinnett’s total SAT average is 23 points above the national average of 1518, the lowest margin ever between Gwinnett Scores and the national average.
  • Gwinnett’s average is 64 points above the Georgia average of 1477. This total represents the largest margin ever between Gwinnett scores and the state average.
  • Gwinnett’s SAT-takers set the system’s highest ever score in mathematics, with the county average of 532 being 36 points above the state’s average score and 14 points above the national average.
  • Gwinnett’s average critical reading score of 508 is 14 points above the state’s and five points above the national average.
  • On the new writing portion of the test, Gwinnett’s average score of 501 is 14 points above the state and four points above the national average. The scoring of the SAT writing is similar to Gwinnett’s High School Gateway assessment and is taken first in the 10th grade across the curriculum continues to be a strong focus in Gwinnett.
  • A higher percentage of students take the SAT in Gwinnett than in the state. Preliminary figures indicate that approximately 82 percent of GCPS seniors took the SAT compared to 48 percent nationally.

   The new SAT is different from previous versions of the test. The Class of 2006 was the first to take the new version of the SAT. Several things in the new test differ from previous tests, including:

  • The new SAT features a writing section. Students are asked to take a position and use reasoning and examples taken from their previous in and out of class experiences to support their position.
  • The critical reading test actually is more than a name change from the previous section of last year’s SAT. Reading passages are longer and require a deeper use of both vocabulary and contextual understanding.
  • The mathematics section included questions testing students’ knowledge of Algebra, an area not assessed in the previous version of the SAT.

   When compared to Georgia and national averages, Gwinnett County’s Class of 2006 fared very well on the new SAT. The Georgia average for all three tests was 1477. The national average was 1518, while the Gwinnett County Public School’s average was 1541.

   Mathematics average scores included Gwinnett’s at 532, the nation’s at 518, and Georgia’s at 496. Critical Reading scores included the following: Gwinnett at 508, the nation at 503, and Georgia at 494. Mathematics scores were as follows: Gwinnett, 532; the nation, 518; and Georgia, 496.

   Individual school average results are affected by the unique characteristics of each year’s test-takers. In addition, the College Board has indicated that when a new test is introduced—as in 2006—students usual test taking behavior is affected in a variety of ways that could affect test scores. 

   As the District III Board member, it is a privilege to share this information with our community. Congratulations to the principals, teachers, staff, students, parents, and others who supported students in the Gwinnett County Class of 2006 in their pursuit of excellence on the new SAT.

   It is an honor and a pleasure to review and report such outstanding results. It is also a great reaffirmation of the importance that our community has placed on the Gwinnett County Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) Curriculum. It is also a testimony to our community’s commitment to the alignment of our curriculum, our assessment measures, and our school-based evaluation programs. This is indeed good news for our community.

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