Hall County high school students excelled on the High School End of Course Tests, with some subject scores well above state averages.

The tests measure students’ abilities to apply elements of the Georgia Performance Standards, which are academic standards the state Board of Education expects every Georgia student to meet.

Hall County students met or exceeded state averages in every test except for economics, with Hall County students averaging just one point below the state average.

Gordon Higgins, director of communication relations for Hall County Schools, said students are not required to pass the test to be promoted to the next grade level, but their performance on each subject test is factored into 15 percent of their final grade in the respective subject.

"(The tests) can let the state measure apples and apples," Higgins said. "They can get a measure and see if there’s a dramatic difference between Hall County or Whitfield County, for example."

High school students, as well as some eighth-graders enrolled in high school credit Carnegie courses, exceeded state averages on the test in geometry, ninth grade and American literature, biology and U.S. history.

Students exceeded state averages by 16 points in algebra and by 24 points in physical science.