The first results from the new SAT show that average scores dropped from last year.

The College Board today released its first report on the Class of 2006, the first to take the revamped test that added a hand-written essay, included harder math problems, got rid of analogies and renamed the verbal section critical thinking.

The new SAT has 2400 points -- 800 each for math, critical reading and writing.

The results show:

Math average fell two points from last year to 518 although it remains 10 points higher than a decade ago. This year, males, averaging 536, did better than females, averaging 502. Both were two-point decreases.

Critical reading fell five points from last year's verbal test to 503, resulting in a score 2 points below that of a decade ago. This year, males, averaging 505, did better than females, averaging 502. The score for males fell 8 points; the score for females fell 3 points.

Writing, which was part of the test for the first time, averaged 497, with females outscoring males. Females averaged 502; males averaged 491.

College Board officials said a major reason for the decline is that fewer students took the lengthy test more than once. Usually, student scores go up 30 points combined on a second test-taking.

Nationwide, 48 percent of the 3.04 million high school graduates in the Class of 2006 took the SAT.

In Pennsylvania, 74 percent of the high school grads took the test. They scored below the national average on all three sections: 500 in math, 493 in critical reading and 483 in writing. Over the decade, the state's math score went up 8 points, but its critical reading fell by 5 points.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.