Rowan-Salisbury School System students’ average SAT scores decreased slightly this year, while state and A.L. Brown scores increased.
The SAT, or Scholastic Assessment Test, is a standardized test administered by the College Board that gauges college readiness. Students are tested on math, critical reading and writing.
The average Rowan-Salisbury math and critical reading score was 953, while its average math, critical reading and writing combined score was 1399.
The state scores, which include all public, private and home-schooled students in North Carolina, were 1006 and 1483, respectively.
Nationally, scores averaged at 1010 for math and critical reading, and 1497 for math, critical reading and writing.
Salisbury High School is the only Rowan-Salisbury school to exceed the state and national averages, with a math and critical reading combined score of 1053 and a math, critical reading and writing score of 1544. Salisbury High’s averages on those tests improved by 98 points and 133 points, respectively
Rowan County Early College’s scores were right at the state average — 1006 for math and critical reading and 1482 for math, critical reading and writing. These scores are slightly lower — by 11 and 16 points — than the Early College’s 2013 scores.
South Rowan and East Rowan high schools also scored above the district’s average, and both schools increased their scores from 2013.
South’s math and critical reading combined score was 967, and its math, critical reading and writing scores were 1423.
East’s score for math and critical reading was 984, while its math, critical reading and writing score was 1446.
Carson, North Rowan and West Rowan high schools saw scores below the district average, and all the schools’ scores dropped this year from 2103.
North Rowan had the lowest SAT scores, with math and critical reading scores at 953, and math, critical reading and writing scores at 1399.
West Rowan’s scores were 904 for math and critical reading and 1335 for math, critical reading and writing.
Carson High School’s math and critical reading score was 929. The school’s math, critical reading and writing score was 1350.
Only three students at Henderson Independent High School took the SAT, so no scores are available for the school.
Over the past three years, the Rowan-Salisbury School System has seen a decline in the number of students taking the SAT each year, as colleges begin to focus more on the ACT, or American College Testing, according to Eisa Cox, executive director of secondary education.
In 2012, 702 students took the SAT, followed by 640 in 2013 and 581 this year.
A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis saw an increase in its SAT scores between 2013 and 2014. The math and critical reading score was 995 and the math, critical reading and writing score was 1466 — increases of 67 and 99 points, respectively.
Only 74 A.L. Brown students took the SAT in 2014, however, 40 fewer than the year before and 67 fewer than the year before that.