Fayette still in top 6% of U.S. schools; FCHS down 66 points from last year
Scores from the 2015 SAT tests are in, and the average composite score from Fayette County high schools had them ranked fourth highest in metro Atlanta and at No. 8 in the state.
However, the other side of that coin is that four of the county’s five high schools registered a decline from their scores last year. Only McIntosh in Peachtree City improved over its 2014 mark.
School system spokesperson Melinda Berry-Dreisbach said the 2015 SAT scores used for college admissions showed Fayette students outpacing the state and the nation with an average composite score of 1,537 out of a possible 2,400.
“Compared to other school systems in the state, Fayette has the fourth highest average composite score in the metro area of school systems that had more than 1,000 students taking the test,” Berry-Dreisbach said. “Overall, regardless of the number of test takers, the system placed eighth statewide.”
On the national level, Fayette is in the top 6 percent of school systems with a 47-point lead over the nation’s average composite score of 1,490, Berry-Dreisbach said.
The average composite scores per high school were, in order: McIntosh High, 1,624; Starr’s Mill High, 1,609; Whitewater High, 1,528; Sandy Creek High, 1,464; and Fayette County High, 1,379.
For comparison, SAT scores for 2014 in Fayette showed Starr’s Mill High with an average score of 1,623, McIntosh High with an average score of 1,618, Whitewater High with an average score of 1,537, Sandy Creek High with an average score of 1,485 and Fayette County High with an average score of 1,445.
Berry-Dreisbach said comparisons for 2015 show decreases in average composite scores for both the school system and nation. Fayette’s score is down 24 points from last year while the national average is down 7 points, she said.
While four high schools saw varying decreases in their scores, McIntosh High had a 6-point increase, Fayette County High decreased 66 points, Sandy Creek High decreased 21 points, Starr’s Mill High decreased 14 points, and Whitewater High decreased 9 points.
“While Fayette has maintained its high performance statewide and nationally despite the decline, the school system’s assessment and curriculum departments will further analyze the data and will work on implementing initiatives to strengthen identified areas of need,” said Berry-Dreisbach.
[CORRECTION: FCHS score was down 66 POINTS, not percent.]
