Cobb Schools Top State Average in New Achievement Test

The first test of Georgia's alternative to No Child Left Behind has yielded fairly good marks for both the Cobb County School District and Marietta City Schools.

According to the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), students at the elementary, middle and high school levels of both public school systems outpaced the state average on a wide-ranging accountability spectrum.

The index grades each school in the state on a 100-point scale, measuring achievement (70 points) and tracking progress points (15 points) and achievement gap points (15 points).

Cobb schools averaged a score of 85.4 at the elementary school level, 87.1 for middle schools and 86.3 for high schools.

In Marietta, the elementary school average score was 86.6 and the figure was 83.6 for middle schools. Marietta High School, the only high school in the district, scored a 73.

The statewide average is 83.4 for elementary schools, 81.4 for middle schools and 72.6 for high schools.

Schools also were eligible to receive "challenge points" for demonstrating excellence in innovation and achievement, including STEM certification.

According to the AJC, Decatur City Schools and Gwinnett County Public Schools had the highest systemwide averages in metro Atlanta.

"While pleased with our scores, we still have work to do," Cobb schools' chief academic officer Amy Krause said in a statement. "As we come to better know this new accountability system, I expect our schools to earn more Challenge Points. We know that we can improve our efforts here."

The CCRPI replaces the Adequate Yearly Progress reports that were part of the federal No Child Left Behind law. Georgia received a waiver from AYP but was required to create an alternative measurement.

The new index includes not only test results, which was a significant component of AYP results, but rates schools for student achievement (state standardized tests, SAT/ACT scores, graduation rates, core courses passed, AP, career pathways), academic progress over time (yearly growth in achievement) and closing achievement gaps for specific student groups (such as English language learners, students with disabilities, specific ethnic groups and the overall Georgia student population).

While AYP test results came from language arts and math testing, CCRPI also incorporates math and science assessments into each school's score.

More than two-thirds of the 112 schools in the Cobb district had scores of 80 or above, and 50 had scores of 90 or more:

• Addison ES (95.3); Awtrey MS (91); Baker ES (92.9); Bells Ferry ES (93.4); Bullard ES (91.4); Chalker ES (90.2); Davis ES (96.4); Dickerson MS (99.2); Dodgen MS (97.7); Durham MS (96.3); East Side ES (97); Ford ES (96.5); Frey ES (92.4); Garrison Mill ES (93.9); Hightower Trail MS (99.5); Hillgrove HS (93.1); Keheley ES (96.7); Kemp ES (8.2); Kennesaw Charter ES (91/2); Kennesaw ES (97.2); Kincaid ES (92.4); King Springs (97); Lassiter HS (94.4); Lost Mountain MS (95.3); Lovinggood MS (96); Mabry MS (98.4); McCall MS (96.4); McCleskey MS (96.6); McClure MS (93.8); Mt. Bethel ES (99.3); Mountain View (97.1); Murdock ES (98.3); Nicholson ES (92.6); Palmer MS (92.3); Pickett's Mill ES (93.6); Pope HS (94.1); Riverside Primary (96); Rocky Mount (97.5); Sedalia Park (91); Shallowford Falls (98.7); Simpson MS (99); Sope Creek ES (98.3); Still ES (97); Timber Ridge ES (98.6); Tritt ES (98); Varner ES (92.5); Walton HS (94.4).

A total of 15 schools scored below 70 on the index:

• Birney ES (64.7); Compton ES (61.1); Green Acres (68.5); Hollydale ES (65.7); Imagine Academy ES (57.6); Imagine Academy MS (67.9); LaBelle ES (69.6); Norton Park ES (64.2); Oakwood Digital (48.4); Osborne HS (68.7); Pebblebrook HS (68.2); Riverside Intermediate (59.4); Sanders ES (61.1); Sky View ES (66.5); South Cobb ES (68.3).

In Marietta, the Center for Advanced Academics received a score of 102.7 due to receiving additional challenge points. West Side Elementary School had a score of 91. The lowest score in the 11-school district was Marietta High School's 73.