High school students in both Hart and Stephens counties fell below the Georgia state average for the SAT college entrance exam this year.

Georgia students earned a mean score of 1,466 out of a possible 2,400 on the standardized test in 2008, which ranks 47th among the 50 states and Washington D.C., and is six points below last year’s average.

Hart County students, however, only scored an average of 1,382 on the exam this year after their average score was 1,361 in 2007, said David Hicks, the county school superintendent. This year students scored an average of 459 on the verbal portion, 470 on the math section, and 453 on the writing portion of the exam, he said.

“We have a lot more work to do to become competitive with our scores,” Hicks said.

The Hart County school system introduced a new requirement this fall that mandates all sophomores must take the SAT. A new SAT preparation class also is being offered for the first time this school year.Hicks said that he did not think enough emphasis was placed on the test in the past.

Stephens County students fared better with a 1,440 average score on the exam this year. The Stephens test results for 2008 are 53 points higher than the test results in 2007, said David Friend, the principal of Stephens County High School. The test breakdown indicates that this year Stephens County students scored 477 on the verbal portion, 494 on the math portion and 469 on the writing portion of the exam, he said.

Friend said the reason the test scores jumped from last year is the county started offering an SAT preparation course in fall 2007. He said that he is confident the scores soon will exceed the state average.

“Looking at other schools that are in our area, we actually did very well,” Friend said.

State education officials say Georgia still is introducing its revamped, tougher curriculum, which will mean better test scores down the road. This year’s ninth-graders are the first of Georgia’s high school students to try the new math curriculum and the reading curriculum is just a couple of years old, said deputy superintendent Martha Reichrath.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.