The Ga. Dept. of Education (DOE) last week released its first Georgia College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) which measures Georgia public schools on a broad set of academic criteria. The new index methodology revealed that the average scores of Fayette’s elementary, middle and high schools were significantly higher than the state average and were in the top three school systems in metro Atlanta.
Using a 100-point scale, the CCRPI state average score for elementary schools is 83.4, while the average for middles schools is 81.4 and the high school average is 72.6. The tally for Fayette schools showed elementary schools with an average score of 94.8 while the average score in the county’s middle schools was 94.6 and the average high school score was 85.9.
The new CCRPI report measures schools and school districts on a 100-point scale made up of three major areas: “Achievement” (70 points possible), “Progress” (15 points possible) and “Achievement Gap” (15 points possible). The report measures schools based on data from the 2011-12 school year. The next CCRPI report, due this fall, will look at data from the current 2012-2013 school year, according to DOE.
Fayette’s top scoring elementary school was Tyrone with a score of 98, followed by Kedron at 97.9. The lowest score for elementary schools was Burch at 84.6.
Rising Starr took the honors among middle schools with a score of 97.7, followed by Bennett’s Mill at 97.3 while the low came at Whitewater with a score of 85.8.
And among high schools, McIntosh took top honors with a score of 91.8 compared to the low score of 77.7 at Fayette County High School.
School system spokesperson Melinda Berry-Dreisbach said the average score for Fayette’s elementary schools at 94.8 is the second highest among the metro counties. The middle school average score of 94.6 was the second highest in the metro area. The high school average score of 85.9 was the third highest of the metro counties, she said.
The CCRPI uses a much broader and more complex set of achievement data to calculate school and system achievement scores than the No Child Left Behind program for which Georgia received a federal waiver.
Generally, the CCRPI has been designed around a comprehensive definition of college and career readiness, meaning that all students graduate from high school with both rigorous content knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge, according to DOE.
The Achievement score (70 percent of the CCRPI) is made up of three indicators, including Content Mastery (40 percent), Post High School/Middle School/Elementary School Readiness (30 percent) and Graduation Rate/Graduation Rate Predictor (30 percent).
• Content Mastery: This section looks at student achievement on standardized tests (CRCT in grades 3-8 and End of Course Tests in grades 9-12) to determine how well a school is doing with instruction.
• Post High School/Middle School/Elementary School Readiness: This section looks at areas that have proven to help students be prepared for the next level of school. Measures of this section include earning two credits in World Language, exceeding standards on state assessments and earning credit in accelerated programs.
• Graduation Rate/Graduation Rate Predictor: This section will look at a school’s four-year and five-year graduation rate.
The Progress score (15 percent of the CCRPI) is calculated based on the percentage of a school’s students demonstrating typical or high growth via Student Growth Percentiles (SGP).
An SGP describes a student’s growth on state tests relative to other students statewide with similar prior achievement.
A student’s growth percentile can range from 1 to 99 and every student’s SGP may earn points towards the Progress Score.
The Achievement Gap score (15 percent of the CCRPI) assigns points to schools for their progress in closing, or having small achievement gaps, on state tests between schools’ lowest 25 percent of achievers and the state average. Comparisons are made between gap size from prior year to current year and schools receive points in this section of the CCRPI for closing the achievement gap.
The online version of the CCRPI report with a breakdown by system and school can be found at the DOE website at ccrpi.gadoe.org/2012.
Elementary CCRPI score
Braelinn 97
Brooks 89.5
Burch 84.6
Cleveland 90.5
Crabapple 97.4
FIS 89.3
Hood Ave. 92.9
Huddleston 94.4
Inman 93.3
Kedron 97.9
Minter 94.6
N. Fayette 93.2
Oak Grove 94.8
PTC 97.4
Peeples 97.2
Spring Hill 92.3
Tyrone 98
Average 94.8
Ga. average 83.4
Middle
Benn. Mill 97.3
Booth 94.4
Fayette 93.1
Flat Rock 90.5
Rising Starr 97.7
Whitewater 85.8
Average 94.6
Ga. average 81.4
High schools
Fayette 77.7
McIntosh 91.8
Sandy Creek 77.9
Starr’s Mill 90.8
Whitewater 85.8
Average 85.9
Ga. average 72.6
