Columbia, S.C. - Governor Hodges joined Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum today to announce that South Carolina's SAT scores have continued to rise. South Carolina now leads the nation in SAT improvement over the last four years, and South Carolina's SAT scores have pulled ahead of Georgia's.

Governor Hodges issued the following statement regarding this SAT improvement:

"What a difference four years makes. Over the last four years, our SAT scores are up thirty points, making us number one in the nation for SAT improvement. Our PSAT scores and AP scores are up as well.

"And down in Georgia, they've got Carolina on the mind -- because we've pulled ahead of our neighbors on the SAT. Our schools still have a ways to go, but for the first time in recent memory things are getting better.

"These improvements didn't happen by accident. We've invested in our public schools like never before. We've funded accountability. We've raised the number of nationally certified teachers in our classrooms from 16 to 1300. Of course, the real credit goes to the students, parents and educators who are working together for better public schools."