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Oriole News is a presentation of Ludington Area School District in partnership with Mason County Press.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
LUDINGTON — Ludington High School students have exceeded state standards with their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) tests, scoring the highest in the state for schools of similar size. The 2024 average SAT score at LHS was 1007.1, exceeding the state average by over 60 points.
LHS has 684 students. Of schools with similar enrollment, it has ranked highest, with the next closest being Lake Fenton, with an enrollment of 677 and students scoring an average of 1003, followed by Kingsford with an enrollment of 599 and average score of 994.4.
“To be at the top of that list is something we are incredibly proud of,” said Mike Hart, Ludington Area School District curriculum director.
“We are extremely proud of our staff at LHS,” said Dr. Kyle Corlett, LASD superintendent. “It takes an entire team working together with a common goal for our students to be as successful as they are. I believe we have a very dedicated group of educators who push our students to be successful and who are always looking for new ways to improve what they do. We also have great parents and a community that supports students and the schools to help us all be successful.”
LHS Principal Steve Forsberg echoed Corlett.
“We are proud of the dedication our staff and students demonstrate every day, consistently performing at the highest levels compared to our peers across the state,” Forsberg said. “Our teachers and support staff do an outstanding job of supporting all students. We are grateful to live in a community that is so supportive of education.
“For several years, we have placed a strong emphasis on literacy across all content areas, which has greatly benefited our students. Now, our focus is on growing as a Professional Learning Community (PLC) school. This means we are continually reviewing and refining our curriculum and instruction to better serve all LHS students.”
The predecessor of the Scholastic Aptitude Test debuted in 1926. The test is owned, developed, and published by the College Board and is administered by the Educational Testing Service. The test, which is typically taken by high school juniors, is intended to assess students’ readiness for college, focusing on reading and math skills. It is part of a series of tests students take in preparation for post high school education.
“One of the great things about LHS is that our students have several academic opportunities such as advanced placement (AP), dual enrollment at West Shore Community College and Career and Technical Education (CTE) through the West Shore Educational Service District,” Hart said. “Additionally, we still offer many extra-curricular activities.”
Hart said statistically students who are involved in extra-curricular activities tend to perform better in standardized tests.
“These students understand that they must balance academics with after-school activities,” Hart said. “That takes discipline. While those students are busier than those who not involved in other activities, they know that their academic success determines their participation in those other activities.”
Hart said Ludington administrators have been studying some of the learning techniques the other top schools use to prepare their students for testing.
“We are looking at the techniques those other schools use, especially the support that they are offering,” Hart said. “We want to move the needle forward. We want to know what correlations there are between their techniques and their successes.”
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