Las Virgenes District Tops in Local SAT Scores

The Las Virgenes Unified School District posted the highest SAT scores among area school systems this year and registered the largest overall improvement in student scores on the college entrance exam, according to statistics released this week.

Students in the Las Virgenes district scored an average of 1,124 on the combined math and English tests--111 points higher than the average state score. That is three points over the district’s 1997 average.

The gains among Las Virgenes students came mostly from improvements on the verbal portion of the Scholastic Assessment Tests, from 547 to 554. The composite score rose despite a four-point dip in math marks, to 570.

Las Virgenes serves Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Agoura and part of Woodland Hills.

Las Virgenes administrators said they were pleased, particularly because the district’s two high schools have been increasing the numbers of students who take the tests.

“This again confirms that we have terrific students, hard-working teachers and supportive parents,” said Assistant Supt. Duffy Clark. “It’s a winning formula.”

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Students in the William S. Hart Union High School District recorded average combined scores of 1,058--45 points higher than the state average.

But the district lost ground compared to 1997: verbal scores dropped by seven points, to 516. Math scores fell by nine points, to 542.

The William S. Hart district serves Newhall, Valencia, Saugus, Santa Clarita and Canyon Country.

District administrators said they were not worried. Despite losing some ground, the district has been testing growing numbers of students. Overall, officials said, average scores over the last decade have risen.

“These are excellent scores,” said Gary Wexler, the district’s director of curriculum and assessment. “They’re just not as good as last year’s peak.”

Meanwhile, school districts serving large numbers of students with limited English abilities struggled to keep pace.

Students in Burbank Unified, for example, posted a composite of 979--with reading and math scores below the state and national averages.

Glendale Unified earned a 1,056 point average score, largely the result of high math scores. Its average reading score--495--dropped six points from the year before and trailed state and national averages.

Glendale administrators said nearly half of last year’s 769 test-takers spoke a native language other than English.

“The SAT is a difficult exam even for an English-only speaker,” said Vic Pallos, a district spokesman.

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Valley-Area SAT Scores

Below are listed the SAT college entrance exam results for the 1998 graduating classes at five Valley-area school districts. The first two columns show the average verbal and math scores of all students tested at each high school. The third column shows the average composite score. The SAT is used by colleges, along with high school grades, to predict college performance.

ANTELOPE VALLEY UNION

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School Verbal Math Composite Antelope Valley 477 483 960 Highland 487 497 984 District 482 491 973

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BURBANK UNIFIED

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School Verbal Math Composite Burbank 487 518 1,005 Burroughs 479 478 957 District 483 496 979

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GLENDALE UNIFIED

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School Verbal Math Composite Crescenta Valley 526 581 1,107 Glendale 475 541 1,016 Hoover 478 561 1,039 District 495 561 1,056

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WM. S. HART UNION

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School Verbal Math Composite Canyon 506 532 1,038 Hart 526 550 1,076 Saugus 524 550 1,074 Valencia 505 532 1,037 District 516 542 1,058

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LAS VIRGENES UNIFIED

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School Verbal Math Composite Agoura 564 570 1134 Calabasas 544 571 1,115 District 547 574 1,121

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Compiled by DUKE HELFAND