SAT Scores Climb for 5th Year in a Row : Education: High school students in county top state and national averages in 1999 version of the college admissions exams.

For the fifth consecutive year, Ventura County students improved their performance on the Scholastic Assessment Test, outpacing their peers across the state and nation, according to results released Tuesday.

The county’s average on the 1999 SAT was 1,066, 55 points higher than the average California student and 50 points higher than the national average. It also marked a five-point gain over last year’s results and a strong 30-point gain in five years.

The highest possible score that college admissions officers look at first is 1,600.

“I’m very proud of the students and teachers in Ventura County because we outscored both the state and nation again,” county schools Supt. Chuck Weis said. “That tells me that our college-bound kids are getting a good education.”

County educators attributed the high scores to the increased number of students enrolling in academic, Advanced Placement and honors courses. They also cited cooperative efforts between local colleges and high schools to offer advanced courses for high school students.

Thousand Oaks, Oak Park and Camarillo were the top high schools in the county, reflecting the wealthier demographics and the availability of advanced courses. The average total score was 1,119 for Thousand Oaks High, 1,117 for Oak Park and 1,109 for Camarillo.

Simi Valley High School students ranked next, scoring 1,085. But that was a drop of 13 points from the previous year.

Despite the drop, students are becoming more aware that colleges and universities require competitive SAT scores, said Lynn Johnson, director of secondary education for the Simi Valley Unified School District.

“The students today realize more the competition they face in getting into the four-year colleges and universities of their choice,” Johnson said. “And more students are taking advantage of preparation courses that are available throughout the county.”

The county’s students averaged 527 on the verbal portion of the test and 539 in math, compared with state averages of 497 in verbal and 514 in math.

One of the most surprising results was that male students outperformed their female classmates by 5 points on the verbal section and 44 points in math.

Because the Stanford 9 achievement tests didn’t show the same discrepancy, Weis suggested that the SAT may have a gender bias.

The same gender gap showed up across the state, according to Delaine Eastin, state superintendent of public instruction.

As expected, the scores were lower in districts where large numbers of students are poor or speak limited English. For example, Fillmore High School’s average was 866 and Santa Paula High’s was 923.

“That’s not surprising, but it is something we need to work to reverse,” Weis said. “Regardless of family education, regardless of language, we need to educate these students at the highest level.”

In the Oxnard Union High School District, students at four of the five high schools boosted their scores. Channel Islands went up 41 points.

Eight in 10 district graduates said they planned to pursue some form of higher education.

Assistant Supt. Gary Davis said he was pleased with the district’s results, adding that the district’s extended school year and rigorous curriculum had an effect on the scores.

“We do have a very capable staff in our college-preparation English and math program,” Davis said. “And the curriculum we are teaching is very aligned to what’s being tested on the SAT.”

Scores declined at a few high schools in the county, including Fillmore, Moorpark and Santa Paula. Fillmore’s average total dropped by 17 points, Moorpark’s by 13 and Santa Paula’s by 30.

Andi Mallen, a counselor at Moorpark High School, said she isn’t too discouraged. Rather, she said, she is excited that more students, including many who speak limited English, are taking the SAT than in previous years.

“These aren’t your typical honors students,” she said. “But these are kids that have potential. So we try to set them in the right direction as far as college preparation.”

More Santa Paula High School students took the SAT in 1999, according to Principal Tony Gaitan.

Still, countywide, only about 2,700 students took the SAT. That is an increase over the previous year, but is less than half of the county’s graduating seniors.

Weis said he plans to encourage districts to find out why some students take the test and others don’t. In addition, he will continue urging students to take more rigorous academic classes and SAT preparation courses.

“It takes a little bit more than just buying an SAT prep book,” Gaitan said.

“We need to commit ourselves as a district. That’s what we’re working on, and I expect to see our scores go up.”

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Ventura County SAT Scores

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Districts 1997-98 1998-99 and schools Verbal Math Verbal Math Conejo Valley Unified Thousand Oaks High 546 572 554 565 Newbury Park High 524 546 528 545 Westlake High 543 565 542 577 Fillmore Unified Fillmore High 429 454 427 439 Moorpark Unified Moorpark High 526 529 516 526 Oak Park Unified Oak Park High 527 535 552 565 Ojai Unified Nordhoff High 511 526 534 532 Oxnard Union Camarillo High 538 550 546 563 Channel Islands High 468 488 493 504 Hueneme High 489 486 503 493 Oxnard High 507 502 504 500 Rio Mesa High 505 512 512 516 Santa Paula Union Santa Paula High 485 468 464 459 Simi Valley Unified Royal High 516 531 514 538 Simi Valley High 537 561 530 555 Santa Susana High n/a n/a 521 503 Ventura Unified Buena High 537 552 542 532 Ventura High 522 522 524 520 Ventura County average 523 538 527 539 State average 497 516 497 514 National average 505 512 505 511

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*NOTE: Possible maximum score for verbal and math sections combined is 1600.

Source: Ventura County school districts

* PERFORMANCE GAP: The gap between whites and minorities on college entrance exams widens. A1