Fidgeting with No. 2 pencils and calculators, 64 Free State and 44 LHS students sat down to take the SAT this past year.

According to the College Board, the average scores from Lawrence and Kansas high schools were higher than the national average.

Free State posted higher scores than the Lawrence and Kansas averages, with a critical reading score of 627, a math score of 609 and a writing score of 602 amounting to a composite score of 1838. The national averages are 497 in critical reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing for a composite score of 1497.

Principal Ed West attributes this success to USD 497’s academic focus and rigor.

“We’ve got great students, great community (and) great teachers—there’s no doubt about that,” West said. “This is my fifth district that I’ve (worked) in, and I can tell you that our district values education and takes it more seriously than any place I’ve ever been.”

West added that having higher education opportunities like the University of Kansas, Haskell Indian Nations University and Johnson County Community College nearby gives students a better understanding of the high standards required for post-high school education.