The Pennsylvania Department of Education released its 2016 SAT data last week with Lehighton and Palmerton leading the way for local school districts.

According to PDE, the data covered students who graduated in 2016 and showed the average scores on the reading, math and writing exams.The maximum score for the most recent data was 2400.Beginning in 2016, however, the format changed and scoring returned to a 1600-point scale with an optional essay.The SAT test is administered by The College Board.The highest average in the area belonged to Lehighton Area School District, who had 110 students take the test with an average of 1472 points.Lehighton’s reading average was 494, while its math average was 501 and writing average was 477.“We’re always proud when our students do well, whether that be in the classroom, on standardized tests, or extracurricular activities,” Lehighton High School Principal Craig Reichl said. “I went back and looked at several years of data and there is a consistent uptick in the number of students taking the exam. I think more students are realizing that because of schools like Lehigh Carbon Community College and the number of online colleges that it’s affordable for them.”According to PDE, 106 Lehighton students took the SAT test in 2015.In Palmerton Area School District, the average score was 1464.“We are very fortunate in Palmerton to have a great group of kids who work really hard and also a great staff,” high school Principal Paula Husar said. “We’ve put a lot of new things into place, updated our math and English curriculum basically soup-to-nuts and have seen great results. Our SAT scores have gone up and there has been a huge jump in our Keystone Exam scores as well.”Both Reichl and Husar attribute a lot of the SAT success to pre-exam options offered in their districts.Both districts cover the fee for students to take the PSAT, or practice tests. Lehighton offers after-school SAT prep classes several times each year.“We’ve noticed a significant improvement in scores for the students who take advantage of those opportunities,” Reichl said.Online test prep is becoming increasingly popular, Husar said, and Palmerton encourages its students to use free options.Guidance counselors also play a key role in which tests students decide to take.“Our guidance counselor sits with students and evaluate whether the SAT or ACT may play to their strengths a little more,” Husar said. “They are very different tests and some students may do better on one as opposed to the other. Most colleges accept both.”While many students do choose employment straight out of high school, more and more are looking at post-secondary education as an option.“There are so many more options now than when I was in high school,” Reichl said. “Lehighton has a great offering of dual-enrollment courses and students can take those classes in high school at a reduced fee and they count for college credits. We’re looking to expand that course list even more next year.”Palmerton also offers dual-enrollment courses, which are picking up in popularity, Husar said.“By leaps and bounds, we have seen more students taking those courses and it makes a lot of sense,” she added. “For a student who might take the speech course, it’s much more inviting to do that in front of your peers who you have been with since kindergarten then it might be at Lehigh Carbon Community College. It’s a great option for the kids to get college credits and it comes at a great price.”Close behind Lehighton and Palmerton were Tamaqua, Northern Lehigh and Pleasant Valley school districts, at 1460, 1449 and 1448 points respectively.Schools with less than 11 students taking the SAT test were excluded from the PDE’s data.Julia R. Masterman High School, a magnet high school in Philadelphia, ranked first on the list with an average of 1978.It has held the spot for the last 16 years. 016 SAT Reading/Math/Writing Average ScoreTotal possible points:2400

Lehighton Area School District

110 students tested

1472

2015 average:1463Palmerton Area School District

63 students tested

1464

2015 average:1446Tamaqua Area School District

68 students tested

1460

2015 average:1509Northern Lehigh School District

62 students tested

1449

2015 average: 1511Pleasant Valley School District

237 students tested

1448

2015 average:1469Jim Thorpe School District

87 students

1434

2015 average:1507Panther Valley School District

35 students tested

1401

2015 average:1389Weatherly Area School District

42 students tested

1376

2015 average:1440Carbon Career and Technical Institute 

24 students tested

1282

2015 average: 1283