The majority of North Shore public high school students scored above average on the SAT exam last spring, according to reports released last week.
The SAT assesses reading, math and writing skills and is the most widely taken standardized college admissions test, according to the College Board, which administers the exam.
In Massachusetts, 76 percent of students took the SAT last year — the fourth-highest participation rate in the country behind Maine, New York and Connecticut, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
While performance improved statewide, scores are still lower among black, Hispanic and low-income students.
How they did
Average 2008 SAT results in North Shore public high schools* (ranked highest to lowest)
School
No. of test takers
Reading
Math
Writing
Total score
Manchester-Essex
82
596
588
589
1,773
Hamilton-Wenham
165
560
568
562
1,690
Marblehead High
219
550
553
543
1,646
Swampscott High
212
542
558
545
1,645
Masconomet
288
538
558
536
1,632
Ipswich High
128
528
528
529
1,585
Beverly High
263
518
527
519
1,564
Danvers High
195
512
527
513
1,552
State average
507
520
505
1,532
National average
497
510
488
1,495
Peabody High
295
479
491
478
1,448
Salem High
195
471
472
461
1,404
Essex Aggie
49
479
462
438
1,379
North Shore Tech
35
442
443
417
1,302
* Maximum score in each subject is 800, for a maximum total score of 2,400.
Source: Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the College Board
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