District seniors boost SAT scores past state: Mayo, HHS exceed state average

Average SAT scores for Darlington County public high school seniors rose 15 points on the 2009 test to surpass the state’s average SAT score for public high school seniors by 29 points.

Composite scores for district seniors in critical reading, math and writing rose from 1,459 in 2008 to 1,474 on the 2009 test, according to figures released by the College Board and the State Department of Education.

The state average composite score for public high schools dropped by six points in 2009 to 1,445 while the national average slipped two points to 1,493.

Among the district’s four public high schools, Hartsville High School and Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology both exceeded the state average composite score, while Mayo again surpassed the national average despite a 59-point drop in its composite score to 1,551.

This marks the first year the district has surpassed the state average composite score on the SAT. It is also the first year for Hartsville High to exceed the state average.

“We’re very excited about our SAT scores,” said Superintendent of Education Dr. Rainey Knight.

“You know, 10 years ago when I first started as superintendent, we were upwards of 100 points off the state average. That was a big elephant to take bites out of, but we have now met the state average and exceeded the state average. We’re very pleased with the work of our teachers and our children.”

The next goal for the district, Knight said, is to surpass the national average.

“We are immensely proud of the work our teachers are doing every day,” Knight said. “Their efforts are paying off for our students. We are still not where we want to be in terms of SAT scores. We want all our schools to exceed the national standards. Now, it’s within our grasp.”

Hartsville High’s composite score rose 32 points to 1,450 on the 2009 SAT. The average math score at Hartsville High rose from 483 to 489, while the average critical reading score increased from 472 to 487 and the average writing score rose from 463 to 475.

By far, the most significant gain – 149 points - occurred at Darlington High School, where the average composite score went from 1,259 in 2008 to 1,408 in 2009. The average math score at Darlington High rose from 444 to 477, while the average score in critical reading went from 414 to 473 and in writing from 401 to 459.

Lamar High School saw its average composite score fall 60 points to 1,336. The average math score at Lamar slipped from 466 to 463, while the average in critical reading dropped from 480 to 454 and in writing from 450 to 420.

At Mayo, averages dropped in each subject area. The average math score fell from 562 to 534, the average critical reading score from 524 to 513 and the average in writing from 524 to 503.

For the district, the average math score showed little change from 503 in 2008 to 502 in 2009. In critical reading, the district average went from 479 to 493. And in writing the district average score went from 478 to 480.

District officials, while acknowledging that there is still a need for improvement, were pleased overall with the results and particularly with having two schools exceed the state average and one top the national average.

State education officials pointed out that although fewer public school seniors took the SAT nationally, more South Carolina seniors took the 2009 test (a 5.7 percent decrease nationally compared to a 2.4 percent in the state).

It was participation among African American students that led the Palmetto State’s increase, officials said, up 10.3 percent compared to a 1.5 percent increase for white students.

A similarly dramatic increase occurred with low-income students, who increased their participation from 3,950 to 4,647, from 21 percent of total participants in 2008 to 24 percent in 2009.

The College Board, which tracks 10-year SAT trends, said South Carolina’s 22-point improvement for public school students since 1999 in reading and math (the writing test is only in its fourth year) remained the nation’s best among states where more than half of the high school seniors take the SAT. Massachusetts was second with a 21-point improvement, while North Carolina was third with a 20-point improvement over the past 10 years.

Among South Carolina’s private school seniors, average SAT scores dropped 22 points from the previous year. Parochial school scores decreased by seven points to 1,562, while independent school scores dropped by 38 points to 1,508, both still above the state and national averages.