Decatur High School’s average score on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) declined versus last year, according to data released on September 13th.

After DHS’s total score climbed 22 points to 1577 in 2009, the high school registered a 64 point decline in 2010 with a 1513 total score.  Decatur High’s statewide ranking also fell accordingly, down from 30th last year to 66th in 2010, according to data provided by the AJC. “Reading” scores declined the most of the three subject areas, down 25 points from last year to a 516.  “Math” scores also fell, down 20 points to a 503, while average scores for “Writing” fell 19 points to 494.

A statement by the City Schools of Decatur sent to Decatur Metro this morning acknowledged the school system’s recent declines, but noted that Decatur still placed in the top 25% of Georgia high schools with 100 students or more who took the test.  It also highlighted Decatur High’s Reading scores, which are up 5% over the past five years.

However, Superintendent Phyllis Edwards acknowledged there was room for improvement in Math. “There is a five-year downward trend for math in Decatur and we are going to reverse that.”

The statement also noted that Decatur High boasted a 91% participation rate on the 2010 SATs, while “many schools in the top 30 have less than 40% of their students take the SAT”.

Superintendent Edwards stated she was “proud of the direction DHS is taking in encouraging more students to take these tests and gain experience on this type of test-taking. This approach says it is more important to allow students opportunities at test-taking even at the risk of lower overall test scores.”  According to the AJC data, 21 more Decatur students took the test in 2010 than in 2009.

The national 2010 SAT average was a 1509.