For the fourth year in a row, Georgia public-school students outperformed their counterparts in the nation’s public schools on the SAT, recording a mean score of 1077 — 39 points higher than the national average for public-school students. 

Among school systems in southwest Georgia, Thomasville City Schools posted a total mean score of 1135, with its test-takers averaging scores of 603 in evidence-based reading and writing and 552 in math.

“I am proud of our students and teachers, even in tough times, our city continues to shine throughout the state,” THS Principal Brian Beaty said. “Their hard work and commitment to academic excellence is unwavering.”  

Students at Thomas County Central scored an average of 1005 on the SAT and at Cairo High School, the average was 935.

Test-takers at Bainbridge averaged 1007, those at Colquitt County High School averaged 1050, Brooks County test-takers averaged 947, Tift County High School’s scored averaged 1016, Lowndes County High School test-takers averaged 1089 and Valdosta High School’s scores averaged 1030. 

Georgia’s public-school class of 2021 also recorded significant increases in scores compared to the class of 2020. The mean score for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) rose from 532 in 2020 to 546 in 2021, and the mean for math rose from 511 in 2020 to 531 in 2021, for a total increase of 34 points in the average composite score. 

“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 School 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.” 

Thirty-eight percent of Georgia’s class of 2021 took the SAT at some point during high school. This percentage is lower than normal, given the impacts of the pandemic — including the cancellation of some test registrations and closure of some test centers in 2020 — and the temporary waiver of SAT/ACT score requirements for University System of Georgia Admissions. 

While the College Board does not release participation percentages at the national level, the raw numbers show a decline in participation at the national level as well: 1.5 million students in the high school class of 2021 took the SAT at least once, down from 2.2 million in the class of 2020.