PCSD School News

DALLAS – Paulding County School District’s SAT scores for the Class of 2026 climbed six points, outperforming state and national peers for the second consecutive year.

According to results released this week by the College Board, the PCSD Class of 2026 earned an average total score of 1043. The district’s SAT scores topped both the national average of 1011 and the state average of 1031. These results mark the seventh consecutive year that PCSD results exceeded the national average and the second year higher than the state.

Since 2023, SAT scores in Georgia (-14) and nationwide (-8) have trended downward, but not in Paulding County where students have defied the decline by increasing the district’s average SAT score by 26 points over the same timeframe. In 2026, Paulding's sustained growth moved the district 12 points ahead of the state and 32 points ahead of the nation.

In 2026, all five Paulding County high schools topped the national SAT average performance. South Paulding High School’s Class of 2026 claimed the district’s top score of 1054, exceeding the state by 23 points and the nation by 43 points. East Paulding High School and Hiram High School each saw their composite scores rise by 13 points in 2026.

“While SAT scores have declined across much of the state and nation, Paulding County students continue to move forward,” said Superintendent Steve Barnette. “What makes this accomplishment especially meaningful is that more Paulding County seniors are taking the SAT than in recent years, yet student performance continues to rise. The Class of 2026 has shown that academic excellence and expanded opportunity can go hand in hand. These results are evidence that the investments we are making in teaching, learning, and student support are helping more graduates leave Paulding County ready for college, careers, and life. We are proud of their achievement and grateful to the teachers, staff, and families who helped make this success possible.”

In addition to increased performance, the district’s SAT participation has risen from 1034 seniors in 2023 to 1150 seniors in 2026, an 11 percent increase in participation. Typically, scores will decline as participation increases, but not in PCSD where a focus on college-preparedness has led to higher scores even as senior participation has risen“The steady growth in SAT participation shows that more of our students are actively exploring their post-secondary options,” said Associate Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Frachiseur. “At the same time, rising composite scores that outperform both the state and nation demonstrate that Paulding County seniors are highly competitive. Together with our record-high graduation rate of 92.4 percent, these results reflect the impact of our strategic plan and our focus on preparing students for college, career, and life.”

Email: communications@paulding.k12.ga.us
Website: www.paulding.k12.ga.us
Location: 3236 Atlanta Highway, Dallas, GA 30132, USA
Phone: 770-443-8000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pauldingboe
X: @pauldingboe

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