SC scores improve on SAT, Advanced Placement tests

S.C. high school students scored better this year on Advanced Placement exams than last year, state education officials said Tuesday.

Participation in the test also is on the rise in the state’s public schools, including among minority students.

This year, 6.5 percent more students took AP tests than last year. Fifteen percent more minority students took tests this year than last. And the number of tests taken also increased by 6.6 percent.

Nearly a quarter of students who took tests – or 23 percent of 28,487 students – were named AP scholars for scoring three or higher, out of a possible score of five, on three or more exams.

SAT scores rose

S.C. seniors also improved their scores on the SAT, which measures readiness for college.

Most of the class of 2016 took the test in January. On average, S.C. students scored 490 on the math and reading portions of the test, and 466 on the writing portion. That is out of a possible 800 points per section, or a combined 2,400 points.

The scores were an improvement over 2015 test-takers, who scored 483 on the math and reading tests, and 462 in writing.

S.C. test-takers outscored students nationally on reading, but not math and writing. On average, test-takers nationally scored 487 on the reading test, 494 on math and 472 on writing.

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 6:51 PM with the headline "SC scores improve on SAT, Advanced Placement tests."