HART STUDENTS' SCORES ON SAT DOWN BUT TEST-TAKERS RANKED HIGHER THAN STATE AVERAGE ON COLLEGE EXAM.

Byline: ALEX DOBUZINSKIS Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- Like their peers across the nation, Hart School District students lost points in reading and math this year in a newly designed version of the SAT, officials said.

But despite losing a few points on the college entrance exam, students in the William S. Hart Union High School District continued to score better on the college entrance exam than the state average.

In the new critical reading section of the test, the students scored 530, compared to 533 on a comparable portion of the test last year. On the math portion of the test, students scored 555, which was a four-point drop from the previous year.

``Those are fairly marginal losses, especially considering the fact that this is a totally new test,'' said Pat Willett, a spokeswoman for the Hart District. ``It's very difficult to compare the two tests, especially with that new writing element.''

Nationwide, average reading scores fell from 508 to 503 and math scores fell from 520 to 518, according to the College Board. So the total loss of 7 points in those two categories nationwide equals the total loss of 7 points reported by the Hart District on Friday.

But Hart District students' score of 533 on the reading portion of the exam was 29 points higher than the state average. And compared to Hart District students' score of 555 in math, students statewide scored 518 -- a difference of 37 points.

Students choose to take the SAT if they are trying to get into college. An alternative entrance exam called the ACT test is available, but not all colleges recognize that test and most Hart District students take the SAT, Willett said.

On the writing component of the test, which was an entirely new section added this year, Hart District students averaged a score of 538, while statewide, students scored 501. Writing is emphasized at the Hart District, Willett said.

``So I think it was probably to our advantage that our students have been writing in every class, not just in English,'' she said.

Experts agreed that the nationwide dip in combined math and critical reading scores on the college entrance exam was related to the new version of the test, but they differed on how. The updated exam is longer than the old one, with a new writing section, features more advanced math questions and replaces analogies with more reading comprehension.

Nationwide, girls' average overall score of 1,506 out of a possible 2,400 remains 26 points below boys' average. But the addition of the writing section and changes in the reading section helped them narrow the gap.

The shift in emphasis from vocabulary to reading comprehension favored girls, said Christine Parker, executive director of high school program development at test-prep company Princeton Review.

``Interpreting language that's in front of them, girls do better at that,'' she said.

In the Hart District, girls averaged 544 on the new writing component of the test compared to 531 for boys. Boys scored better in math and reading, posting scores of 581 and 533, respectively, compared to 533 in math and 528 in reading for girls.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com

[phone]