THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 26, 1994 TAG: 9408260574
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
On the eve of the first day of the new school year, Dare County officials received word of a 28-point increase in local Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores, and an 11 percent rise in the number of students taking the examination.
Dare County students had a 20-point average increase in mathematics scores, and an 8-point increase in verbal scores as compared with 1992-93 test results. The students averaged 412 in verbal scores and 484 in math for a combined 896 average.
Dare County Superintendent Leon Holleman said he was pleased with the results, and praised the district's teachers.
``I guess I am happiest for our teachers because I know they are working very, very hard to produce this improvement, and I know it's very rewarding to see these kinds of results,'' he said.
Statewide, Dare County ranked sixth in mathematics and fourth in participation.
``I think this is the most dramatic increase ever for us in participation,'' Holleman said. ``We made a significant gain (in scores) while participation increased dramatically. That's almost unheard of.''
The results show Dare County had a 76 percent participation rate in 1993-94, compared with a 65 percent rate the previous year.
Statewide, North Carolina students showed a one-point average gain overall to 860, a two-point increase in math and a one-point decrease in the verbal score. Dare students were seven points ahead of the state average in verbal, 29 points ahead in math and 36 points higher overall than their state counterparts.
Holleman cited the teachers' commitment to SAT improvement and students' taking the test seriously as reasons for the increase.
``I think it has a lot to do with the fact we are making the SAT an emphasis in our district - the commitment of our teachers on improvement. The work with vocabulary is starting to pay off. This year we have a vocabulary program in place for sixth- through 12th-graders as a component of their English instruction. We'll continue to work very hard on encouraging students to take upper-level courses,'' Holleman said.
``Evidence from our mathematics scores shows this pays a premium in achievement. We are raising expectations. We have made progress, but we are never content.''
Nationally, verbal scores decreased an average of one point to 423, while math scores increased one point to 479, leaving the national average of 902 unchanged from a year ago. Dare County was 11 points behind the national average in verbal scores, but five points ahead in math, leaving the county six points below the national average.
North Carolina remains near the bottom in SAT scoring, despite a 24-point gain in the past five years. The state ranks 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only the District of Columbia, Georgia, and South Carolina rank lower. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
DREW C. WILSON/Staff
On the eve of the first day of the new school year, children work
out the last of their summer energy on a trampoline in Avon, N.C.
From left, are John Henry Cheek, Justin Scarborough, Dustin Herring,
Thomas Cheek, Brittany Herring and Lisa Tootle.
by CNB