Bothell - Students in the Northshore School District scored higher on the SAT this year than ever before. The Northshore students who took the test last year posted an average score of 568 on the math section, up from 563 in 2004, and an average score of 554 on the verbal section, up from 544 in 2004.

“I’m very pleased with the scores of our students,” said Northshore Superintendent Karen Forys. “But I’m not surprised, since I know that every district employee is focused on improving achievement and supporting student success.”

Not only are the scores for the class of 2005 at an all-time high, but they continue to outpace the state and national averages in verbal and math as well. The public school state and national averages for the verbal section are 529 and 505, respectively. The state and national averages for the math section are 533 and 515, respectively.

These gains were accompanied by more students taking demanding courses, such as advanced placement English, calculus, and physics. The number of Northshore students enrolled in advanced placement courses increased by 34 percent from 2004 to 2005, reaching an all-time high of 378.

The SAT is one of two primary college readiness exams evaluated by colleges and universities in their admissions process. During the 2004-2005 school year, 984 Northshore students took the SAT, the last group to take the former version of the SAT featuring math and verbal sections. The new SAT features higher-level math, additional reading passages, and a new writing section with an essay.