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Georgia ACT College Readiness Report
This report focuses on:
Performance - student test performance in the context of college readiness
Access - number of your graduates exposed to college entrance testing and the percent of race/ethnicity participation
Course Selection - percent of students pursuing a core curriculum
Course Rigor - impact of rigorous coursework on achievement
College Readiness - percent of students meeting ACT College Readiness Benchmark Scores in each content area
Awareness - extent to which student aspirations match performance
Articulation - colleges and universities to which your students send test results
The Opportunity Gap - is Georgia Providing Equal Access to Education?
ProPublica analyzed federal education data from the 2009-2010 school year to examine whether Georgia provided high-poverty schools equal access to advanced courses and special programs that researchers say will help them later in life.
The relative rigor of Georgia state proficiency standards in mathematics
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/studies/profile_standards/profiles_2009_GA.pdf
This report contains the findings of a study that compared the relative rigor of Georgia proficiency standards in mathematics and reading using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scale as a common yardstick.
Georgia ranked 42nd in critical indicators of child well-being for the third straight year
Trends from 2000 show that even though Georgia improved on five of 10 measures that affect child well-being, this state continues to trail behind the national average on all measures, and is among the bottom 10 states in low-birthweight babies (46th), teens not in school and not working (45th), infant mortality rate (42nd), and children living in single-parent families (41st).
Nearly 570,000 children in Georgia live below the federal poverty line of $21,756 for a family of four. That’s a 22-percent increase in the state poverty rate between 2000 and 2009.
In an ongoing effort to track the impact of the recession, the 2011 KIDS COUNT Data Book features two new indicators—children affected by foreclosure and children with at least one unemployed parent. In Georgia, home foreclosures disrupted the lives of 205,000 children since 2007—the 5th highest rate in the nation. Children living in metro Atlanta counties were hit the hardest. In 2010, an estimated 300,000 children in this state lived in families with at least one unemployed parent.
Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) Executive Director Gaye Smith agrees, but is quick to point out that the blame does not entirely lie with the recession, because economic and social conditions for children in Georgia were desperate before the economic downturn began.
GaFCP has teamed up with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and its state and local partners in education and human services in a 10-year commitment to improve grade-level reading. The goal is to ensure that children are reading on grade level by third grade. Good readers are more likely to graduate from high school on time, enter the workforce equipped with the necessary skills to succeed, and go on to productive careers.
Motivation is Key In Newnan, Georgia
After previous instability, Principal Laurie Barron stepped in and, as this report details, placed a priority on finding a common mission, collaborative leadership, and a continued focus on academic improvement. Committed to making the school a place where students could flourish both in and out of the classroom, the school also partners with local businesses to recognize and reward students and celebrate their academic and nonacademic talents. For the last five years, Smokey Road Middle School has met its AYP goals to qualify as a Title I Distinguished School.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
NAEP Scores Show More 8th Graders At Higher Reading Levels
A higher percentage of Georgia’s 8th graders are scoring at or above basic and proficient levels in reading than ever before, according to results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released today. Seventy-two (72) percent of 8th graders scored at the basic or above level, compared to 70% in 2007. The national average shows 74% of 8th graders at the basic or above level, but had only a one percent increase from 2007, compared to Georgia’s two percent increase.
"Since day one, my vision has been for Georgia to lead the nation in improving student achievement,” said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. “For us to accomplish this we have to improve at a faster rate than the nation, and our 8th graders are doing that.”
Georgia’s 4th graders saw a slight decrease since 2007 in the percentage of students at basic levels and above, but the percentage of students at or above proficient increased one percentage point while the nation had no increase.
Georgia students in grades 4 and 8 took the NAEP exams in reading last school year. The students who were tested had been taught using the state's new Reading/English Language Arts curriculum for four years.
The NAEP is given to a representative sample of students in every state. Scores are broken into four categories -- below basic, basic, proficient and advanced.
At or Above the Nation
Georgia's minority students continued to score the same or better than minority students across the nation. In 4th grade reading, for instance, Georgia's Hispanic students scored a 208, four points higher than the national Hispanic average. African-American students had a scale score of 204, the same as the national African-American average. In 8th grade reading, Hispanic students in Georgia scored a 254, six points higher than the national Hispanic average. African-Americans in Georgia had a scale score of 249, four points higher than the national African-American average. (NAEP is scored on a scale of 0-500)
Progress Since 2003
NAEP Reading results in 4th and 8th grade have increased for virtually all students in all subgroups. In 2009, the average 4th grade reading scale score of 218 was four points higher than in 2003. And 8th grade students had an average reading scale score of 260 this year, compared to a 258 in 2003.
4th Grade Reading (increase from 2003 to 2009):
- Hispanic students scored seven points higher.
- African-American students scored five points higher.
- White students scored three points higher.
- Economically-disadvantaged students scored six points higher.
- Students with Disabilities scored six points higher.
- English Language Learners scored four points higher.
8th Grade Reading (increase from 2003 to 2009):
- Hispanic students scored nine points higher.
- African-American students scored five points higher.
- White students’ scores held steady.
- Economically-disadvantaged students scored six points higher.
- Students with Disabilities scored 12 points higher.
- English Language Learners (sample size was not met so no score reported).
The gains on the NAEP reading exam provide further evidence that Georgia's new curriculum -- the Georgia Performance Standards -- is having a big impact.
"We know that our new curriculum is setting high expectations for all of our students and those high expectations are paying off," said Superintendent Cox. “I want to thank all of our educators for embracing our more rigorous and relevant curriculum standards."
Aside from the Georgia Performance Standards, Superintendent Cox credited the No Child Left Behind Act and the state's promotion and retention policy for bringing a new focus to reading education for all students.
More Information:
- Charts and Graphics:
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) website:
"Since day one, my vision has been for Georgia to lead the nation in improving student achievement,” said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. “For us to accomplish this we have to improve at a faster rate than the nation, and our 8th graders are doing that.”
Georgia’s 4th graders saw a slight decrease since 2007 in the percentage of students at basic levels and above, but the percentage of students at or above proficient increased one percentage point while the nation had no increase.
Georgia students in grades 4 and 8 took the NAEP exams in reading last school year. The students who were tested had been taught using the state's new Reading/English Language Arts curriculum for four years.
The NAEP is given to a representative sample of students in every state. Scores are broken into four categories -- below basic, basic, proficient and advanced.
At or Above the Nation
Georgia's minority students continued to score the same or better than minority students across the nation. In 4th grade reading, for instance, Georgia's Hispanic students scored a 208, four points higher than the national Hispanic average. African-American students had a scale score of 204, the same as the national African-American average. In 8th grade reading, Hispanic students in Georgia scored a 254, six points higher than the national Hispanic average. African-Americans in Georgia had a scale score of 249, four points higher than the national African-American average. (NAEP is scored on a scale of 0-500)
Progress Since 2003
NAEP Reading results in 4th and 8th grade have increased for virtually all students in all subgroups. In 2009, the average 4th grade reading scale score of 218 was four points higher than in 2003. And 8th grade students had an average reading scale score of 260 this year, compared to a 258 in 2003.
4th Grade Reading (increase from 2003 to 2009):
- Hispanic students scored seven points higher.
- African-American students scored five points higher.
- White students scored three points higher.
- Economically-disadvantaged students scored six points higher.
- Students with Disabilities scored six points higher.
- English Language Learners scored four points higher.
8th Grade Reading (increase from 2003 to 2009):
- Hispanic students scored nine points higher.
- African-American students scored five points higher.
- White students’ scores held steady.
- Economically-disadvantaged students scored six points higher.
- Students with Disabilities scored 12 points higher.
- English Language Learners (sample size was not met so no score reported).
The gains on the NAEP reading exam provide further evidence that Georgia's new curriculum -- the Georgia Performance Standards -- is having a big impact.
"We know that our new curriculum is setting high expectations for all of our students and those high expectations are paying off," said Superintendent Cox. “I want to thank all of our educators for embracing our more rigorous and relevant curriculum standards."
Aside from the Georgia Performance Standards, Superintendent Cox credited the No Child Left Behind Act and the state's promotion and retention policy for bringing a new focus to reading education for all students.
More Information:
- Charts and Graphics:
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) website:
Atlanta Leaders Announce New Early Education Initiative
After 18 months of study, the Early Education Commission (EEC) has issued strategic recommendations for improving access to quality early education for children ages zero to five across metro Atlanta, and ultimately the state.
The recommendations lay out a multi-year plan for assuring consistently high-quality early learning – with Georgia ultimately becoming a national leader in ensuring that children enter kindergarten ready to learn and on a path to "read to learn" by third grade. "Read to learn" refers to a reading skill level necessary for a third-grader to learn at an age-appropriate pace and become a successful student.
Stephanie Blank, Trustee of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, will chair the governing board of the Georgia Coalition for Early Education (GCEE), a new, independent successor group to the EEC that will offer strategic assistance to existing providers, funders and stakeholders in early learning and care. A national search is being launched for an executive director of the coalition.
"The key to Georgia's future economic prosperity and social well-being lies in the care and education of our youngest children," said Ms. Blank, who served on the EEC. "There is ongoing advocacy and quality improvement work in metro Atlanta and the state: our goal is to move early learning to the top of the public agenda and broaden the scope and reach of those efforts."
Co-chaired by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta CEO Dennis Lockhart and Spelman College President Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D., the EEC assembled in the fall of 2008 to investigate the impact of early learning on the short- and long-term economic health of metro Atlanta. The commission learned from nationally renowned experts in the early education field, studied research, assessed the state of early learning in the metro area and state, and identified opportunities for improvement.
"It is essential that children be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten – we know brain development in a child's early years charts a course for success over a lifetime," said Dr. Tatum. "We also know that there is more to school readiness than being ready to read – social, emotional and other cognitive milestones are important, and the EEC's recommendations address all of those."
In addition to the neuroscience aspects of early childhood education, EEC members learned about the positive return on investment early intervention provides versus the exponential cost of remediation, and the importance quality centers and trained educators play in these outcomes.
Said Dennis Lockhart, "Beyond the intrinsic social value, investing in early education is just the smart thing to do. Research clearly shows that early interventions have better rates of return than do traditional economic development projects."
Consistent with the commission's recommendations, the GCEE will focus on four main areas:
• Improve Quality – for both center-based and home-based early care and education.
• Enhance Parental involvement – supporting families with the tools and resources needed to provide quality learning experiences.
• Increase Public Awareness – to raise awareness of how quality early learning experiences impact a child's long-term success.
• Intensify Advocacy – for increased quality, accessibility and affordability of early childhood care and education.
"This commission has recommended vital next steps that will significantly support and enhance ongoing efforts in our state," said Holly Robinson, Commissioner of Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. "Helping parents identify and assure quality early education is critically important for their children and for Georgia. And Stephanie Blank is a brilliant choice as chair of the coalition; she is a greatly respected community leader who researches, understands and is devoted to this issue."
About the Early Education Commission
Convened in the fall of 2008 by the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, the Early Education Commission brought together a group of 23 prominent Atlanta business and civic leaders representing diverse constituencies to conduct a thorough review of empirical evidence and expert opinion with regard to the case for cohesive action on Pre-K education, share a broad directional agenda for the metro Atlanta community, and offer concrete action recommendations for stakeholders in the early childhood community. Its focus was to investigate the impact of early learning on the short- and long-term economic development of metropolitan Atlanta with the overall goal to improve the availability and quality of early childhood education in metropolitan Atlanta, and ultimately throughout the state of Georgia. To find out more about the Early Education Commission, visit unitedwayatlanta.org and click on "Early Education" under the "Our Work" tab.
The recommendations lay out a multi-year plan for assuring consistently high-quality early learning – with Georgia ultimately becoming a national leader in ensuring that children enter kindergarten ready to learn and on a path to "read to learn" by third grade. "Read to learn" refers to a reading skill level necessary for a third-grader to learn at an age-appropriate pace and become a successful student.
Stephanie Blank, Trustee of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, will chair the governing board of the Georgia Coalition for Early Education (GCEE), a new, independent successor group to the EEC that will offer strategic assistance to existing providers, funders and stakeholders in early learning and care. A national search is being launched for an executive director of the coalition.
"The key to Georgia's future economic prosperity and social well-being lies in the care and education of our youngest children," said Ms. Blank, who served on the EEC. "There is ongoing advocacy and quality improvement work in metro Atlanta and the state: our goal is to move early learning to the top of the public agenda and broaden the scope and reach of those efforts."
Co-chaired by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta CEO Dennis Lockhart and Spelman College President Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D., the EEC assembled in the fall of 2008 to investigate the impact of early learning on the short- and long-term economic health of metro Atlanta. The commission learned from nationally renowned experts in the early education field, studied research, assessed the state of early learning in the metro area and state, and identified opportunities for improvement.
"It is essential that children be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten – we know brain development in a child's early years charts a course for success over a lifetime," said Dr. Tatum. "We also know that there is more to school readiness than being ready to read – social, emotional and other cognitive milestones are important, and the EEC's recommendations address all of those."
In addition to the neuroscience aspects of early childhood education, EEC members learned about the positive return on investment early intervention provides versus the exponential cost of remediation, and the importance quality centers and trained educators play in these outcomes.
Said Dennis Lockhart, "Beyond the intrinsic social value, investing in early education is just the smart thing to do. Research clearly shows that early interventions have better rates of return than do traditional economic development projects."
Consistent with the commission's recommendations, the GCEE will focus on four main areas:
• Improve Quality – for both center-based and home-based early care and education.
• Enhance Parental involvement – supporting families with the tools and resources needed to provide quality learning experiences.
• Increase Public Awareness – to raise awareness of how quality early learning experiences impact a child's long-term success.
• Intensify Advocacy – for increased quality, accessibility and affordability of early childhood care and education.
"This commission has recommended vital next steps that will significantly support and enhance ongoing efforts in our state," said Holly Robinson, Commissioner of Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. "Helping parents identify and assure quality early education is critically important for their children and for Georgia. And Stephanie Blank is a brilliant choice as chair of the coalition; she is a greatly respected community leader who researches, understands and is devoted to this issue."
About the Early Education Commission
Convened in the fall of 2008 by the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, the Early Education Commission brought together a group of 23 prominent Atlanta business and civic leaders representing diverse constituencies to conduct a thorough review of empirical evidence and expert opinion with regard to the case for cohesive action on Pre-K education, share a broad directional agenda for the metro Atlanta community, and offer concrete action recommendations for stakeholders in the early childhood community. Its focus was to investigate the impact of early learning on the short- and long-term economic development of metropolitan Atlanta with the overall goal to improve the availability and quality of early childhood education in metropolitan Atlanta, and ultimately throughout the state of Georgia. To find out more about the Early Education Commission, visit unitedwayatlanta.org and click on "Early Education" under the "Our Work" tab.
Friday, February 12, 2010
REPORT GIVES GEORGIA A GRADE OF 'C-' FOR POLICIES THAT IMPACT QUALITY OF TEACHERS
A new report by the not-for-profit, non-partisan National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) finds that Georgia teacher policies largely work against the nation's goal of improving teacher quality. While the national focus on teacher quality has never been greater, the broad range of state laws, rules and regulations that govern the teaching profession too often impede rather than promote serious reform.
NCTQ's 2009 State Teacher Policy Yearbook examined state policy across five areas that include teacher preparation, evaluation, tenure and dismissal, alternative certification and compensation. Georgia earned the following grades, resulting in an overall grade of C-:
• Delivering Well Prepared Teachers: C-
• Expanding the Teaching Pool: B-
• Identifying Effective New Teachers: D+
• Retaining Effective New Teachers: D
• Exiting Ineffective New Teachers: C
NCTQ President Kate Walsh said, "The release of the 2009 Yearbook comes at a particularly opportune time. Race to the Top, the $4.5 billion federal discretionary grant competition, has put unprecedented focus on education reform in general, and teacher quality in particular. We believe that the Yearbook provides a road map for achieving a Race to the Top grant, identifying where states are on the right track and where they have considerable work to do.
Walsh continued: “Unfortunately, states have tremendous ground to make up after years of policy neglect. There is more Georgia can do to ensure that all children have the effective teachers they deserve."
Among the findings about Georgia:
• Georgia's tenure policies do not consider what should count the most about teacher performance: classroom effectiveness. The state does not require that districts collect or consider evidence of teacher effectiveness as part of tenure decisions.
• Georgia does require annual evaluations for all teachers and requires objective measures of student learning in teacher evaluations. However, the state does not require this evidence to be the preponderant criterion.
• Georgia makes it too difficult for districts to attempt to dismiss poor performers by failing to articulate a policy for dismissing teachers for poor performance separate from dismissal policies for criminal and morality violations. It also appears that Georgia allows multiple appeals of dismissals.
• Georgia offers an alternative route that facilitates the entry of talented individuals into the teaching profession.
• Georgia ensures that middle school teachers are prepared to teach appropriate grade-level content.
• Georgia's requirements for the preparation of elementary teachers do not ensure that these teachers are well prepared to teach mathematics. While the state's policies do address the science of reading instruction, Georgia fails to ensure that its elementary teachers are well prepared to teach reading through an appropriate test.
• Georgia sets low expectations for what special education teachers should know, despite state and federal expectations that special education students should meet the same high standards as other students.
• Georgia's pay and benefit policies for teachers—including the state-run retirement system—offer inadequate incentives to stay in teaching.
NCTQ's 2009 State Teacher Policy Yearbook examined state policy across five areas that include teacher preparation, evaluation, tenure and dismissal, alternative certification and compensation. Georgia earned the following grades, resulting in an overall grade of C-:
• Delivering Well Prepared Teachers: C-
• Expanding the Teaching Pool: B-
• Identifying Effective New Teachers: D+
• Retaining Effective New Teachers: D
• Exiting Ineffective New Teachers: C
NCTQ President Kate Walsh said, "The release of the 2009 Yearbook comes at a particularly opportune time. Race to the Top, the $4.5 billion federal discretionary grant competition, has put unprecedented focus on education reform in general, and teacher quality in particular. We believe that the Yearbook provides a road map for achieving a Race to the Top grant, identifying where states are on the right track and where they have considerable work to do.
Walsh continued: “Unfortunately, states have tremendous ground to make up after years of policy neglect. There is more Georgia can do to ensure that all children have the effective teachers they deserve."
Among the findings about Georgia:
• Georgia's tenure policies do not consider what should count the most about teacher performance: classroom effectiveness. The state does not require that districts collect or consider evidence of teacher effectiveness as part of tenure decisions.
• Georgia does require annual evaluations for all teachers and requires objective measures of student learning in teacher evaluations. However, the state does not require this evidence to be the preponderant criterion.
• Georgia makes it too difficult for districts to attempt to dismiss poor performers by failing to articulate a policy for dismissing teachers for poor performance separate from dismissal policies for criminal and morality violations. It also appears that Georgia allows multiple appeals of dismissals.
• Georgia offers an alternative route that facilitates the entry of talented individuals into the teaching profession.
• Georgia ensures that middle school teachers are prepared to teach appropriate grade-level content.
• Georgia's requirements for the preparation of elementary teachers do not ensure that these teachers are well prepared to teach mathematics. While the state's policies do address the science of reading instruction, Georgia fails to ensure that its elementary teachers are well prepared to teach reading through an appropriate test.
• Georgia sets low expectations for what special education teachers should know, despite state and federal expectations that special education students should meet the same high standards as other students.
• Georgia's pay and benefit policies for teachers—including the state-run retirement system—offer inadequate incentives to stay in teaching.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Georgia's Pre-K Program Serves One Million Children
The location of the Millionth Child currently being served by Georgia's Pre-K Program has been revealed. The millionth child walked through the doors of Sumter County Primary School in Americus, Georgia! Governor Sonny and Mrs. Mary Perdue will kick off a special celebration at the school on Thursday, February 18. Georgia is the first state in the nation to serve more than one million Pre-K children in a voluntary, universal, lottery-funded program.
"We are thrilled with the outpouring of support that the Millionth Child Celebration has received," said Bright from the Start Commissioner Holly A. Robinson. "This exciting campaign could not have been successful without our generous partners, outstanding providers and teachers, and most importantly, the one million children who have benefited from Georgia's Pre-K Program."
Commemorative Millionth Child Celebration activities began last year and will continue through 2010. The celebration was launched in April 2009 by Georgia First Lady Mary Perdue who read How Much is a Million? to a group of Georgia's Pre-K children. She and Governor Perdue chose the book in honor of this milestone. Other activities include the Million Book Campaign challenging everyone in Georgia to read to children. So far, more than 622,000 books have been logged in!
"The millionth child campaign emphasizes the importance of a quality learning experience that includes a strong early literacy program for all of Georgia's children," said Mary Mazarky, Assistant Commissioner for Pre-K.
Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program. High quality learning experiences are emphasized for every child participating in the program which has been in existence 16 years. During the 2009-2010 school year, 82,000 children in approximately 4,100 classrooms in every county in the state are being served.
Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia's children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers federal nutrition programs, and manages voluntary quality enhancement programs.
The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education.
For more information.
"We are thrilled with the outpouring of support that the Millionth Child Celebration has received," said Bright from the Start Commissioner Holly A. Robinson. "This exciting campaign could not have been successful without our generous partners, outstanding providers and teachers, and most importantly, the one million children who have benefited from Georgia's Pre-K Program."
Commemorative Millionth Child Celebration activities began last year and will continue through 2010. The celebration was launched in April 2009 by Georgia First Lady Mary Perdue who read How Much is a Million? to a group of Georgia's Pre-K children. She and Governor Perdue chose the book in honor of this milestone. Other activities include the Million Book Campaign challenging everyone in Georgia to read to children. So far, more than 622,000 books have been logged in!
"The millionth child campaign emphasizes the importance of a quality learning experience that includes a strong early literacy program for all of Georgia's children," said Mary Mazarky, Assistant Commissioner for Pre-K.
Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program. High quality learning experiences are emphasized for every child participating in the program which has been in existence 16 years. During the 2009-2010 school year, 82,000 children in approximately 4,100 classrooms in every county in the state are being served.
Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia's children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers federal nutrition programs, and manages voluntary quality enhancement programs.
The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education.
For more information.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
327 Schools Awarded for Outstanding Achievement
327 Georgia public schools are being recognized for improvement and achievement during the 2008-2009 school year. The schools are being recognized under Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS), which awards schools based on their performance on state curriculum exams and Adequate Yearly Progress status.
The recognized schools will receive a congratulatory letter and a banner announcing the accomplishment.
The schools are awarded on four levels -- Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze -- in two categories (see full criteria below):
- Greatest gains: Schools that showed the greatest improvement in scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) or the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT).
- Highest performance: Schools that demonstrated the highest achievement on the CRCT or GHSGT.
The Report Card, which features the SSAS awards, was developed by GOSA and provides bottom-line data for Georgia’s preschools, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, technical colleges, and educator licensing and accreditation. It includes school, system, and state level reports organized into seven major sections: Accountability, Georgia Tests, National Tests, Indicators, Student and School Demographics, Personnel and Fiscal, and Comparisons.
To learn more about GOSA
List of Schools
- Greatest Gain in Percentage of Students Meeting and Exceeding Standards
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-
- Highest Percentage of Students Meeting and Exceeding Standards
The recognized schools will receive a congratulatory letter and a banner announcing the accomplishment.
The schools are awarded on four levels -- Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze -- in two categories (see full criteria below):
- Greatest gains: Schools that showed the greatest improvement in scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) or the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT).
- Highest performance: Schools that demonstrated the highest achievement on the CRCT or GHSGT.
The Report Card, which features the SSAS awards, was developed by GOSA and provides bottom-line data for Georgia’s preschools, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, technical colleges, and educator licensing and accreditation. It includes school, system, and state level reports organized into seven major sections: Accountability, Georgia Tests, National Tests, Indicators, Student and School Demographics, Personnel and Fiscal, and Comparisons.
To learn more about GOSA
List of Schools
- Greatest Gain in Percentage of Students Meeting and Exceeding Standards
-
-
- Highest Percentage of Students Meeting and Exceeding Standards
Georgia Among Leaders In Narrowing Gap
Some States May Be Better Positioned for Higher Scores on Race to the Top
As state leaders put the finishing touches on applications for federal Race to the Top (RTT) funding, many recognize that they will never achieve the excellence the Obama administration seeks without focusing their proposals squarely on equity for low-income students and students of color.
Indeed, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has made it clear that these RTT grants will reward states not only for bold reforms proposed for the future but also for past progress in narrowing gaps in student achievement. But narrowing those gaps once and for all requires close, consistent monitoring not just of whether gaps are narrowing but how.
For example, one might want to congratulate Oklahoma for having a small black-white gap in eighth-grade mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). But a closer look shows that the gap is among the smallest in the country because Oklahoma’s white eighth-graders—the students at the top of this gap—are among the lowest performing white students in the country. In fact, their scores are significantly higher than their white peers in just one other state. Without this additional information, would the public be able to determine whether Oklahoma’s middle schools really are on the right track?
In a report released today, “Gauging the Gaps: A Deeper Look at Student Achievement,” The Education Trust uses NAEP data from every state to illustrate the pitfalls in one-dimensional appraisals of gaps. The report then suggests ways to gain a more comprehensive, accurate picture of equity.
For a true understanding of the gaps in student achievement, regardless of the measure being used, educators and policymakers must examine data from at least four different perspectives:
* SIMPLE GAP NARROWING: Have gaps in performance between student groups decreased over time?
* PROGRESS FOR ALL: Have all groups of students gained over time?
* GAP SIZE: What is the magnitude of the gap between groups?
* GROUP COMPARISON ACROSS JURISDICTIONS: How does each group of students currently perform relative to their counterparts in other schools, districts, or states?
But while some states are improving at faster rates than others, none is ready to declare victory. A review of state NAEP data across all groups, subjects, and grades since 2003 shows mixed progress across the perspectives:
SIMPLE GAP NARROWING: Six states—Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, and West Virginia—and the District of Columbia narrowed more of the gaps between student groups than did most other states. On the other hand, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, and Washington were least likely to have closed gaps and, in fact, saw more gap widening than anywhere else in the nation.
PROGRESS FOR ALL: Student groups in Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, and the District of Columbia were more likely to have improved than their peers in other states. In contrast, student groups in Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina and West Virginia were more likely to have declined.
GAP SIZE: Eight states stand out for smaller-than-average gaps: Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Oklahoma, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Five others, however—California, Connecticut, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin—as well as the District of Columbia, have gaps between groups that are much wider than the national average.
GROUP COMPARISON ACROSS JURISDICTIONS: Low-income and minority students in Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, and Vermont typically perform higher than such students in other states. At the same time, low-income students and students of color in Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada typically perform below their peers elsewhere.
Ed Trust analysts combined the results from all four of these perspectives and found four states were making the most progress. Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas emerge as frontrunners for earning top scores on the gap-closing sections of their RTT applications, along with Vermont—a racially homogenous state that nevertheless generally performs well across the income spectrum. They differ greatly in size, diversity, and a host of other measures, but each state’s recent performance on the achievement gap is among the best in the nation.
However, an analysis of the four perspectives shows the outlook isn’t as rosy elsewhere. Arizona, California, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island have some of the worst track records in the country when it comes to closing the gap, which should net them a big goose-egg in some sections of the RTT scoring rubric.
As state leaders put the finishing touches on applications for federal Race to the Top (RTT) funding, many recognize that they will never achieve the excellence the Obama administration seeks without focusing their proposals squarely on equity for low-income students and students of color.
Indeed, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has made it clear that these RTT grants will reward states not only for bold reforms proposed for the future but also for past progress in narrowing gaps in student achievement. But narrowing those gaps once and for all requires close, consistent monitoring not just of whether gaps are narrowing but how.
For example, one might want to congratulate Oklahoma for having a small black-white gap in eighth-grade mathematics on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). But a closer look shows that the gap is among the smallest in the country because Oklahoma’s white eighth-graders—the students at the top of this gap—are among the lowest performing white students in the country. In fact, their scores are significantly higher than their white peers in just one other state. Without this additional information, would the public be able to determine whether Oklahoma’s middle schools really are on the right track?
In a report released today, “Gauging the Gaps: A Deeper Look at Student Achievement,” The Education Trust uses NAEP data from every state to illustrate the pitfalls in one-dimensional appraisals of gaps. The report then suggests ways to gain a more comprehensive, accurate picture of equity.
For a true understanding of the gaps in student achievement, regardless of the measure being used, educators and policymakers must examine data from at least four different perspectives:
* SIMPLE GAP NARROWING: Have gaps in performance between student groups decreased over time?
* PROGRESS FOR ALL: Have all groups of students gained over time?
* GAP SIZE: What is the magnitude of the gap between groups?
* GROUP COMPARISON ACROSS JURISDICTIONS: How does each group of students currently perform relative to their counterparts in other schools, districts, or states?
But while some states are improving at faster rates than others, none is ready to declare victory. A review of state NAEP data across all groups, subjects, and grades since 2003 shows mixed progress across the perspectives:
SIMPLE GAP NARROWING: Six states—Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, and West Virginia—and the District of Columbia narrowed more of the gaps between student groups than did most other states. On the other hand, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, and Washington were least likely to have closed gaps and, in fact, saw more gap widening than anywhere else in the nation.
PROGRESS FOR ALL: Student groups in Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, and the District of Columbia were more likely to have improved than their peers in other states. In contrast, student groups in Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina and West Virginia were more likely to have declined.
GAP SIZE: Eight states stand out for smaller-than-average gaps: Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Oklahoma, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Five others, however—California, Connecticut, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin—as well as the District of Columbia, have gaps between groups that are much wider than the national average.
GROUP COMPARISON ACROSS JURISDICTIONS: Low-income and minority students in Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, and Vermont typically perform higher than such students in other states. At the same time, low-income students and students of color in Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada typically perform below their peers elsewhere.
Ed Trust analysts combined the results from all four of these perspectives and found four states were making the most progress. Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas emerge as frontrunners for earning top scores on the gap-closing sections of their RTT applications, along with Vermont—a racially homogenous state that nevertheless generally performs well across the income spectrum. They differ greatly in size, diversity, and a host of other measures, but each state’s recent performance on the achievement gap is among the best in the nation.
However, an analysis of the four perspectives shows the outlook isn’t as rosy elsewhere. Arizona, California, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island have some of the worst track records in the country when it comes to closing the gap, which should net them a big goose-egg in some sections of the RTT scoring rubric.
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