Thousands of LA students take SAT exam for free

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An estimated 4,000 LAUSD students took the SAT exam for free Wednesday, according to a district news release.

The testing day dubbed, "SAT School Day," was paid for by the school district and College Board, the owner and developer of the college admission exam.

The exams were provided for all of Local District South's 29 high schools, an area which covers South Los Angeles and Watts down to the Port of Los Angeles.

"We believe that providing these tests will help students raise their expectations for taking the SAT and attending college," said Christopher Downing, superintendent of Local District South. "It may inspire students to improve upon their academic strengths and weaknesses during their senior year, putting them in a better position to attend college."

The free exams are another step in Local District South's mission toward helping students reach college, the news release said.

Previously, the district set up partnerships with colleges and universities, including priority enrollment agreements at California State University at Dominguez Hills and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.