The results

are in for Coweta County's Scholastic Aptitude Test

scores, and the news is not the best for the system's

students.

Overall,

the system averaged a composite 962 for the math and

verbal collegiate preparatory test, compared to 979 last

year.

Over a

five-year period, the scores dropped 13 points from 975

in 1994. The high-water mark for the system was a

composite score of 992 recorded in 1997.

Scores at

the county's two high schools also showed the significant

drop. Northgate High School was not evaluated, since this

is the first year the school has a senior class.

At East

Coweta High School, students averaged a 479 on the verbal

portion and 474 on the math part for a composite 953,

which is a 12-point drop from last year.

At Newnan

High School, students scored 477 on the verbal test and

497 on the math for a composite score of 974, which was a

20-point drop from last year.

The state's

average composite score was 969, while the national

average was 1,016.

Coweta

County School System public information officer Andy

Denny said the scores were disappointing, but said the

school system is working on realigning the curriculum to

help students with the test.

He also

added that students in the system's college prep classes

did far better than the system average, but scores for

those students was not available by press time.