Georgia Leaps Four States in SAT Rankings

Georgia Leaps Four States in SAT Rankings

Governor, Superintendent Announce Georgia has Highest SAT Ranking in its History

ATLANTA, Ga. – Governor Sonny Perdue and State School Superintendent Kathy Cox today announced that Georgia improved its national SAT ranking to 46, up from last place among all states in 2005. This year Georgia bypassed Florida, Hawaii, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Public schools fared even better in the SAT rankings, jumping from 48 in the nation in 2005 to 44 this year.

“I’m extremely proud of our progress this year, but rest assured, we will not stop working until Georgia is at the top of the list in SAT scores,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Georgia’s improving ranking paints a more accurate picture to the global business community of the strength and quality of Georgia’s students. It demonstrates that our students are working harder, achieving more and becoming better prepared for their futures.”

“Better SAT scores mean that more of our students are getting into the colleges and universities of their choice,” said State School Superintendent Kathy Cox. “For too long our rank overshadowed the truth -- that Georgia has some of the best teachers and brightest students in the country. Today’s results are just another example of the great work that is going on in Georgia’s classrooms.”

Georgia’s African-American students outscored their peers across the nation, scoring an average of 1,293 on the test, ranking 34 in the nation and two points higher than the national average for African-American students. Georgia’s Hispanic students also showed improved performance with an average score of 1,419, ranking 34 in the nation and averaging 48 points higher than the national average for Hispanic students. Georgia continues to have one of the smallest achievement gaps among student subgroups in the nation.

Governor Perdue and Superintendent Cox credited hard-working teachers and students with the increased national ranking, and named a series of measures as further evidence of improvement:

• Online SAT prep courses became available to all Georgia high school students in September 2005. In 2005 approximately 100,000 students took advantage of the free online prep course. The test prep is being offered again this year to all students in public, private and home school programs.
• GAcollege411.org went online in February 2005 with free access to SAT and ACT sample tests and information on entrance requirements, programs, costs, and campuses of nearly 100 public and private colleges in Georgia.
• Georgia has adopted, developed and implemented a more rigorous academic curriculum.
• Georgia has seen a 20 percent increase in the number of students taking Advanced Placement courses in high school, and a 16.9 percent increase in the number of students receiving a three, four or five on AP exams, therefore qualifying for college credit.
• Governor Perdue and the Georgia General Assembly authorized funding of the PSAT for all public school students in tenth grade.
• Governor Perdue implemented the Governor’s Cup Challenge in 2003 to promote competition among schools and districts for the highest SAT scores. The Governor’s Cup Challenge is sponsored by Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

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