COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton County students who took the SAT in 2020 posted mixed results compared to 2019 — with decreases in some areas but the districtwide composite score increasing.

One school also exceeded state and national averages this year despite its scores dropping compared to last year.

While state and national test-takers posted decreases across the board, Newton County School System students posted a three-point gain in the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section and maintained their 479 average score in the Math section. 

As a result, the district’s composite score increased by three points, a news release stated.

Although Eastside High School scores did decrease overall in 2020, the school still repeated in besting the state and nation in every category. 

Alcovy High School students maintained their average score on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing but did see a slight dip in math, which caused their overall score to decrease by five points. 

Newton High, meanwhile, posted a four-point gain in the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing and maintained their average score in mathematics, resulting in an improved composite score this year.

“I am very proud of the commitment and dedication of all of our teachers, students, and leaders,” said Newton County School Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey. 

“This year has been a struggle but our students still increased a three-point gain on their composite SAT score, and of course I definitely want to recognize the students and staff at Eastside High School for surpassing the state and the nation this year. What a fantastic accomplishment!

“Our staff works hard to equip our students to be well-rounded and prepared for the future; therefore, we are reviewing our results to identify areas where we might make curricular and instructional adjustments to strengthen our students’ academic experiences. These results, coupled with the PSAT, ACT, and Iowa results, help us to plan strategically as early as kindergarten.”

The SAT is a national college entrance exam some colleges and universities utilize to measure critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college. 

High school juniors and seniors typically take the test which assesses how well students analyze and solve problems.

For more information on Newton County’s 2020 SAT results, contact Allison Jordan, Director of Testing for Newton County Schools, at jordan.allison@newton.k12.ga.us.