The average as stated in the AJC is per student, not per school.

Interestingly, when you look at Cherokee, a surprise no. 2 ahead of Fayette on this year's list, they have not a single school as high as Mac or Starr's Mill. But their 4 schools are remarkably consistent -- all between 1550 and 1599.

To the extent these rankings are meaningful -- and they are to property values even if you don't have a kid in the hunt -- we can only hope that Whitewater will lift the fayette average when it kicks in, because SCHS is sure pulling it down....

per student, like you say...

I agree, it does matter, about the Scores. A good school system is a big part of Real Estate Sales numbers.

There is a trend in Fayette County and in the state away from holding students responsible for learning, but rather, the goal is to make the students "enjoy learning" (make it fun) and keep the parents happy. It used to be that because of the high expectations of the parents in Fay. Co. we could try any fad that came along, and our children would still succeed (and we would pat ourselves on the back), but now parents are less involved and the fruit of these new styles of teaching are really going to show up in our performance statistics. IMO, the only way that we are going to turn this around is for there to be a parent outcry for a return to high standards and challenging (not always fun) teaching. The students like it just the way it is, and so would I have at their age. I'm glad my opinion didn't count back then. I would bet that, if you could check, grades are rising as test scores are falling. Ask your children how hard they are having to work for those As and Bs. My 9th grader says that this is his easiest year so far. Very little homework and lots of fun activities. I guess this is the wave of the future.

It is possible that it's not "cool" to be smart at Sandy Creek? I hope not.

Heellllooooo the only thing that needs replacing are the lazy kids and their lazy parents.

Just because you moved from Clayton county does'nt mean you will automatically be successful in school.

Some of you will have to hire tutors, some will have to go to Silavn Learning center. Some will have to sit down be quite and listen for a dadgum change.!!

The only thing the administration can do is start to discipline bullies to keep them from disturbing the good students who are there to learn. The curriculum is the same for every school in Fayette County, it is up to you to decide to learn, or not. Which will you choose?? Do you want to be successful, or do you want to be unemployed?

and the appostrophe doesn't go after the s in doesn't. Ha, ha, and whatever makes you think I moved here from Clayton? I attended Fayette Co. schools in the 70s/80s and graduated from McIntosh. I did learn how to spell, by the way. So, the curriculum is the same in all schools?-my point exactly!! Sandy Creek should be more in line with the other schools, not over 100 points below!!! As I stated, something more is going on in that school besides lazy parents/kids-maybe lazy administrators who aren't monitoring what's going on in the classroom? Why such a big drop in one year? I guess you think the kids suddenly decided they were going to play dumb???!!!! I don't believe that's the root of this problem.

Your kids can decide to learn or not. More reading less gangsta/bullying.

The teachers and the administration at that school really haven't changed........so what has changed? What demographic has changed?

Boy, I'll echo those sentiments! The superintendent is "extremely pleased" with the results? Let's tell it like it is. Sandy Creek's scores are very troublesome. What's up?! That school didn't even reach the state average, which itself is below the national average? It seems our kids spend the better part of the school year, from first grade on up, preparing for standardized tests. I'm told by school officials that the same curriculum is taught throughout Fayette County schools, yet we have a 186 point difference between McIntosh and Sandy Creek? I couldn't be less pleased with this news.

Fulton's average should be 1489...not that it matters.

That big gap you describe can be explianed simply by looking at the racial makeup of the four schools. Fayette County & Sandy Creek have a higher black student population. Not being racial, just pointing out that facts.

If you'll notice, Sandy Creek's score was below the State average. Sandy Creek is now, what North Clayton was 25 years ago. You'd think that a generation would improve things - not so!!!

In order to improve you have to put forth some effort. Good scores don't happen by accident, and they don't happen just because you move from one county to another.

Research has always shown a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and SAT scores and between race and SAT scores. Granted, the first maxim of statisitcs is that correlation does not necessarily imply causation; however, socioeconomic status and race give some idea of the population a school is working with. Compare the average median or per capita incomes among the varying high school districts. SCHS's is the lowest. Compare the percent of students eligible for free or reduced lunches. SCHS's is the highest. Compare the racial demographics. SCHS has the highest black population. Where do all the "transfer" students from Creekside, Mundy's Mill, and other Clayton and South Fulton high schools go when they "move" to Fayette County ("move" = living with grandparents, aunts, cousins, etc. who live in county)? SCHS. The vast majority go to Sandy Creek. I am not making excuses for SCHS. This is a real problem that needs to be fixed, but there are so many factors involved in a student's SAT performance over which schools and teachers have absolutely no control. Be sure you are not comparing apples and oranges. Please don't judge SCHS as a whole based on its Clayton/Creekside subpopulation. If McIntosh and SCHS simply traded school populations but kept the same teachers and administrators, the SAT scores would reverse, guaranteed.

You are 100% Correct!!!! There are people out there that think both I and CDOG are wrong and that I sit at home on my couch eating bon-bons. It seems CDOG took Sociology in college too! Just for some of you defenders of low grades, I work full time, was a single mom for some years and now live in a "blended" family. I graduated from college when I was 31 years old. Hard work and good grades pay off!! All of you who complained about me should focus their energy on helping their children become better with higher education.
P.S. Take a Sociology class while you're at it!