Cherokee Students Increase SAT Scores, Outscore State

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Cherokee County School District’s class of 2021 increased average SAT scores by 25 points and outscored the state and nation, according to results released by the College Board.

The Cherokee County class of 2021 earned an average total score of 1125 on the curriculum-based college entrance and placement exam, which exceeds the national public school average by 87 points and the state by 48 points. The gap between the district and U.S. averages widened by 17 points.

“Overcoming the challenges that faced them, our class of 2021 seniors rose to meet the SAT’s high academic standards … and exceeded them,” Superintendent Brian Hightower said. “We’re deeply proud of these graduates for their success and for our incredibly dedicated teachers and staff who went above and beyond to support their learning.”

The district's average evidence based reading and writing, known as ERW, score is 569 – up 10 points from last year and 23 over Georgia and 45 over U.S., and the math is 556 – up 15 points from last year and 25 over Georgia and 42 over the U.S. The top 5 percent of Cherokee Schools' scores surpassed a 1400 average.

The SAT, the most commonly recognized measure of achievement for high school students, measures critical reading and mathematics abilities. It includes two 800-point sections: evidence based reading and writing (ERW) and mathematics, with a possible total score of 1600; a third section, a writing exam, is optional. Thirty percent of Cherokee County students participated in the optional essay.

Forty-five percent of the district's 2021 senior class took the SAT exam, which is an expected decline due to some universities temporarily waiving SAT score requirements and the cancellation of some test dates. Some students also choose to take the ACT, a different college entrance exam, and some students take both. ACT scores are expected to be released next month.

All Cherokee County high schools topped national and state averages on the exam and scored within a 24-point span. Their scores are:

• Cherokee High: 1116
  • ERW: 567, Math: 549
• Creekview High: 1116
  • ERW: 558, Math: 558
• Etowah High: 1121
  • ERW: 569, Math: 552
• River Ridge High: 1140
  • ERW: 574, Math: 566
• Sequoyah High: 1134
  • ERW: 574, Math: 559
• Woodstock High: 1127
  • ERW: 573, Math: 554

“Despite the fact that part of their high-school education took place against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia’s class of 2021 did an outstanding job on the SAT — both increasing scores and outperforming their counterparts in the nation’s public schools,” State Superintendent Richard Woods said. “I am extremely proud of these students and these scores are a testament to their hard work, and the hard work of educators in Georgia’s public schools who continue to offer stellar educational opportunities despite the challenges of the last year and a half.”