After last year's 50 point increase on the SAT scores, Coweta school officials were hopeful the increase was the beginning of a trend.

When scores were released this week, though, officials were disheartened by the 13 point drop, but said the system is still on the right track to boosting the scores.

This year, Coweta students average 979.5 on the test, while students who took it in 1997 average 992.5.

At East Coweta High School, students averaged 965 compared to 1997's 973 and Newnan High School students averaged 994 this year compared to 1012 in 1997.

"We were really not surprised by the results and when you look at the last five years our scores have really risen dramatically," said Superintendent of Education Richard Brooks.

In 1994, the system averaged 950 on the test. The scores rose to 974 in 1995, but fell back to 942 in 1996. After the test scores were released in 1996, the system embarked on a massive realignment of the curriculum to better prepare the students for the test. Brooks said the system will keep on the same realignment tract and believes the system is moving in the right direction.

A factor that could have lowered the test scores is the number of students who took the test this year. Brooks said the system did see an increase in students taking the college preparatory exam, but said he really doesn't like to compare groups of students when evaluating test scores.

"Every group is different and it's really hard to pinpoint specifics on the scores," he said.

On the other college preparatory test, the ACT, Coweta's scores also dropped. East Coweta's scores dropped from 18.9 in 1997 to 18.8 this year, while Newnan's scores fell from 20.9 in 1997 to 19.9 this year.

In neighboring Fayette County, scores dropped by six points to a 1031 average.

Overall, scores for all Georgia students who took the test only rose by one point this year for an average score of 968. It's the fourth year in a row that the scores have risen and state officials are hopeful the trend will continue.

"Our students have been working so hard to achieve academic excellence. I am so proud of these students, but as a former teacher with 27 years under my belt, I know who deserves much of the credit for this good news. Thanks to the devotion and determination of Georgia's teachers, we are now one of the fastest improving states in the nation," said State Superintendent of Schools Linda Schrenko.