Students at Wren High, Palmetto High and Powdersville High rank second overall in South Carolina on the nation’s most recognized college entrance examination, the SAT, with a total of 1515, up from 1492 in 2013. The scores topped state and national averages.
Anderson School District One’s 2014 overall score made up of Critical Reading, Math, and Writing sections, was 1515. This is 44 points above the national average of 1471 and 81 points above the state average of 1429. Anderson One improved in two areas of the test from the previous year increasing Critical Reading scores by 14 points and Writing by 10 points for a 23 point gain.
The College Board Organization has identified a student score of 1550 as the College Readiness Benchmark, in that students scoring a 1550 have a 65 percent chance of having a B-minus or higher grade point average during their first year of college. In Anderson One, 44 percent of all test takers met or exceeded this benchmark. This really highlights that students in Anderson One are being prepared for the rigors of college academics.
“We are very pleased with the increase in SAT scores. Teachers are doing a phenomenal job teaching college and career readiness standards,” said Jane Harrison, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction. “The students seem to set very high expectations for themselves and consistently reach their goals. I know these students will be well prepared for higher education.”
Wren High School seniors in the 2014 class scored the highest on SAT in the past 7 years. The lowest score in 2011 of 1513 was replaced with the highest score of 1573 for 2014.
District One Superintendent David Havird said, “We are very proud that Anderson One continues to post scores well above the state and national average. This is not possible without the collaboration and the commitment of our teachers, school leadership students and parents. The results of the SAT demonstrate our students are being well-prepared for their future endeavors.”
The high school staff has been focused on increasing the rigor in academic classrooms. The focus on rigor is evident through large participation rates in AP courses within Anderson One. Anderson One is offering over thirteen AP courses. Christie Shealy, Director for Testing and Accountability, said, “We are very pleased that we continue to see improvements in our test scores and to see the number of students participating in AP classes increasing.”
