Oct 30 2018
The Georgia Department of Education recently released the 2018 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores, and the Carroll County School System has several achievement highlights to celebrate. District high school CCRPI scores were higher than the state average for the fifth consecutive year, middle schools outperformed the state in content mastery and progress, and elementary schools performed above the state average in content mastery and readiness.
The above results are in addition to Carroll County high schools having a historic graduation rate of 92% and being one of only 12 multi-high school districts in the state to have a graduation rate higher than 90%. Carroll County desires for its students to be either enrolled, employed, or enlisted upon graduation. Four out of five Carroll County high schools also topped the state in the CCRPI readiness indicator which gauges how prepared students are for the next phase of their life after high school graduation.
As a district, Carroll County middle schools achieved a score over 90 in ELA progress. Central Middle School (CMS) was a top overall performer showing improvement for the fifth year in a row. CMS earned a score of 83.8 and is now among the Top 15% of middle schools in Georgia. Students scored 22 points higher than the state in ELA and math and had progress of 94% overall.
Whitesburg Elementary School (WES) showed strong improvement for the third consecutive year with a score of 92.2, placing WES in the Top 5% of elementary schools in Georgia. WES was one of only five elementary schools in six surrounding counties to score above 90 and has outperformed the state for the last five years. WES is also the only school in the nation with district, national, and international STEM certification. STEM and literacy initiatives not only improved WES’s overall score, but also led the district to performing 12.57 points higher than the state in ELA, 10.89 points higher in math, and 17.68 points higher in science.
The CCRPI calculations have changed four out of the last six years. The intent of these changes is to improve the method by which schools in Georgia are held accountable. However, the most recent changes in CCRPI point accumulation has made it impossible to accurately compare the 2018 results to last year’s scores.
“While the change in CCRPI calculations for 2018 presented inequities in the scoring of some of our top performing schools, we are very proud of the accomplishments of our administrators, teachers, and students across the district,” said Scott Cowart, Superintendent of Carroll County Schools. “Carroll County will make adjustments on how we analyze our data and processes to continue to operate in a manner that serves, respects, and educates all children. We will use the Closing Gaps information to refine our instructional practices, and further cement our commitment to culturally responsive classroom environments that produce success for all students.”
In addition to the achievements of overall CCRPI scores, 83% of Carroll County Schools earned a Climate Star Rating of 4 or higher, and the district doubled the number of 5-Star Climate Ratings this year. The National School Climate Center defines school climate as “the quality and character of school life”. Research indicates that schools with positive climates tend to have increased test scores and graduation rates. Furthermore, positive school climates support the social, emotional, and safety needs of students.
“In Carroll County, we are committed to focusing on learning, providing premier experiences, maximizing our talent, serving our communities, and practicing good stewardship to not only provide a premier education but also to prepare students to be enrolled, employed, or enlisted when they graduate,” stated Cowart.
