ALPENA — A majority of school districts in Northeast Michigan fell below the 2022 state average in terms of their student body’s Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, a data analysis shows.

In a data comparison done by the Detroit News, the average SAT score for high school juniors in Michigan this year was 959.9 and only Posen High School was able to reach the average.

Posen juniors posted a combined average of 965.6, which was the highest in the area.

The highest score a student can get on the test is 1,600.

The SAT is a multiple-choice entrance exam used by colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is used to measure a high school student’s readiness for college, and provides a common data point that can be used to compare all applicants.

Posen Superintendent Michelle Wesner said she is pleased with the improved scoring the school has seen on the SAT. She said staff works closely with students leading up to the test to identify strengths and weaknesses and help them in the areas where they need it.

“Getting the kids ready for the SAT is a continual process,” Wesner said. “We do a lot of work with the students to see what skills they are already strong in and what skills they need help with. We target and work with them in the areas they need help in.”

According to the latest analysis, Posen has climbed 166 spots to 267 on the state’s SAT test result rankings list. In 2019, it was ranked 533rd.

Alpena and Onaway high school juniors fell just shy of the state average last school year with Alpena students averaging 957.6 and Onaway juniors averaging 953.6.

Rogers City High School juniors had an average score of 869.8, Hillman High School had an average score of 899.6, Alcona High School had an average score of 902.3, and Atlanta High School had an average score of 887.2.

All the school districts with the exception of Posen saw their test score averages drop compared to 2019 test scores, which were posted early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, the average score on the SAT was 985 and three school districts were above the average: Onaway, Alcona, and Alpena.

Alcona Community Schools Superintendent Dan O’Connor said the 2020 and 2021 school years presented challenges for staff and students who had to walk a fine line between having in-person lessons and remote learning.

He said the amount of time students were in quarantine also may have set them back in terms of proper test preparation.

Since then, O’Connor said, the school district has taken steps to better teach and prepare students from an early age, which should help bolster test scores down the road.

“We have added several staff to the elementary, middle and high school to help lower class size and provide interventions,” he said. “While test scores are hard to rely on for impactful data due to the complexities of the past few years, we still must continue to utilize the data and close the achievement gap for all students.”

Alpena Public Schools Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said the school district has a well-rounded curriculum that prepares kids for the SAT. He said as testing dates get closer, students can begin to take practice tests to help find trouble areas, and then focus is applied to those areas to help record a better score.

Rabbideau said he thinks the pandemic and virtual learning from home may have impacted the student’s preparation for the test and scores.

“I think it certainly played a role in student achievement and we won’t know the full fallout from the pandemic for years,” he said. “Preparing for the SAT begins before 8th grade and we (know) what areas the kids need help in and sharpen their skills for it.”

Posen didn’t meet the average score in 2019, but Wesner said test results, good or bad, help school officials evaluate staff, policy, and procedure and adjust as needed to better accomplish their goals.

“The test scores are a good barometer for us to make sure we are teaching the kids what they need to know,” she said. “They are important academically for the students and us. They allow us to adjust and make changes if we need to.”