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SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement regarding the release of the results for the 2006-07 SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) tests:

"I am very pleased that more students in California took the SAT and Advanced Placement exams this year than ever before, including more African American and Hispanic/Latino students. This shows that more of our students are pushing themselves harder and reaching for a higher academic bar. This year's SAT and AP results also indicate that our efforts in the classroom are paying off and that students in all of our ethnic subgroups are receiving the necessary preparation to successfully take these exams.

"Overall, the number of our students taking SAT Subject Tests and AP exams increased from last year. And while the rate of improvement in California students' SAT scores has generally shown a leveling off over the last couple of years, our students continue to outpace their peers across the country by faring better on the SAT's mathematics and writing portions. In critical reading, our students' scores hover very near the national average.

"I'm particularly pleased that the percentage of California public school students scoring well (3-5) on AP exams increased this year by more than 6 percent. In addition, the number of students from all ethnic groups taking the exams also increased significantly. This is a welcome indication that many more students are succeeding in the rigorous course work that will enable them to succeed in college and careers.  

"While we celebrate the progress of our highest-achieving students, we cannot lose sight of the major challenge we face in closing the achievement gap in California. Through the work of my P-16 Council and at my upcoming Summit on the Achievement Gap, I hope that we can find and share strategies that both close the gap and prepare all California students to successfully compete in the challenging global economy of the 21st century, whether they are headed to college or directly into a career." 

For more information on SAT results, please see: College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements [http://www.collegeboard.com] (Outside Source).