SAT scores' rise pleases officials

Columbia County school officials were all smiles after receiving a report on the SAT which showed a 14-point jump in test scores.

Columbia County students scored an average total of 1,058 (531 verbal and 527 math). Georgia's average score was 980, and the national average was 1,020. Last year, the school system's average score was 1,044 (524 verbal and 520 in math).

''We're up overall; we're out-performing the national average. We're particularly pleased with the college prep takers,'' said Columbia County schools Superintendent Tommy Price.

Price said the average score for college prep students was 1,087, and that he was happy with the number of students who were taking the test - a total of 864.

''If you look at the comparison numbers, 81 percent are taking the test, compared to 45 percent nationwide, so we're testing twice as many,'' he said.

Richmond County students scored an average of 950 on the test, a 23-point jump from last year's average score of 927, a new record for Richmond County students.

Nationally, average scores on the SAT improved by a single point from the year before, in keeping with a general trend toward slowly rising scores in the past decade, the College Board reported.

Columbia County Schools SAT Report

Graduating Seniors of 2000

Evans High School

All students: verbal 519, math 503: total 1,022

College prep: verbal 539, math 523: total 1,062

Greenbrier High School

All students: verbal 520, math 516: total 1,036

College prep: verbal 532, math 526: total 1,058

Harlem High School

All students: verbal 485, math 480: total 965

College prep: verbal 501, math 503: total 1,004

Lakeside High School

All students: verbal 539, math 549: total 1,088

College prep: verbal 554, math 565: total 1,119

Columbia County

All students: verbal, 524, math 520: total 1,044

College prep: verbal 538, math 536: total 1,074

Graduating Seniors of 2001

Evans High School

Tech/career prep: verbal 438, math 412: total 850

College prep: verbal 542, math 531: total 1,073

Greenbrier High School

Tech/career prep: verbal 414 , math 393: total 807

College prep: verbal 537, math 534: total 1,071

Harlem High School

Tech/career prep: verbal 395, math 400: total 795

College prep: verbal 510, math 501: total 1,011

Lakeside High School

Tech/career prep: verbal 464, math 455: total 919

College prep: verbal 561, math 566: total 1,127

Columbia County

Tech/career prep: verbal, 424, math 409: total 833

College prep: verbal 545, math 542: total 1,087