GCCS addresses areas of need
The results of the Gilmer County Schools System’s Georgia Milestones were announced at the board of education meeting, which drew cheers from some administrators in attendance.
Assistant superintendent Lottie Mitchell unveiled the information at Monday’s August work session, and the district’s students showed improvement in the majority of areas compared to a year ago while also outpacing state averages.
The Georgia Milestones are designed to provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in the core areas of English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, science and social studies.
The Georgia Milestones consist end-of-grade (EOG) measures in ELA and mathematics in third through eighth grade, science in fifth and eighth and social studies in eighth grade.
End-of-course (EOC) measures are used for specified high school courses regardless of grade level and include American Literature and Composition, algebra I, biology and U.S. History.
There are four achievement levels per subject and include level one beginning learners, level two developing learners, level three proficient learners and level four distinguished learners.
The College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) achievement points account for 30 percent of the content mastery score. Zero points are awarded for level one, level two is worth 1/2 of a point, level three is worth one point and level four learners earn 1 1/2 points.
“We’re always looking for growth, from beginning to developing, developing to proficient and proficient to distinguished,” Mitchell said. “In a normal year (not interrupted by COVID), the Georgia Milestones are an important component on the CCRPI, which is Georgia’s accountability measure.”
Reading and vocabulary make up 53 percent of the ELA score with writing and language accounting for the remaining 47 percent.
In terms of the EOG percentage of developing, proficient and distinguished learners in ELA for third through eighth, Gilmer students improved in all but one grade level.
In 2021, seventh grade was at 72.7 percent and saw a minor decrease to 71 percent for 2022. The state average is 70 percent. All other grades also out performed their respective state average, as well as their 2021 EOG percentages. The largest increase was the fourth grade that jumped from 62.9 to 74 percent of developing, proficient and distinguished learners.
For mathematics, third, fourth and fifth graders all improved compared to 2021 with the largest increase in fourth grade from 84.4 to 93 percent. Decreases were seen in fifth grade (83.4 to 79), seventh grade (81.8 to 80) and eighth grade (86.5 to 84), yet all still exceeded state averages by 13, 6 and 14 percent, respectively.
Fifth grade science EOG increased from 63.5 to 67 percent, which is even with the state average. Eighth grade science increased as well from 81.8 to 84 percent, while social studies jumped 3 percent to 86 making it the sixth highest score in the state. Both eighth-grade figures are well above state averages.
For GHS, its EOC scores demonstrated growth in algebra I (48.7 to 65.33), biology (68.4 to 72) and U.S. History (59.9 to 71.7). Gilmer’s algebra I percentage is 2.97 points below Georgia’s average. GHS saw a decrease in American Literature and Composition from 73.1 to 70.28, which is 6.86 below the state average.
“We know we have some challenges ahead and in working to close learning gaps from learning disruptions from the past three years,” Mitchell said. “The district has a renewed focus on attendance this year for students and staff. If students are not in school, they’re not learning. Attendance has been impacted by COVID the past few years, but we’re planning on a normal year this year and will be closely monitoring attendance.”
Mitchell noted that the district has restructured its academic coaches at the elementary level to work with all three schools. Two academic coaches will focus on literacy split between younger and upper elementary students, as well a coach dedicated to mathematics.
The district used Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to hire two academic coaches who will work with at-risk students at the elementary school level. Gilmer Schools have also contracted with interventionists to work with those at risk.
An interventionist and behavior specialist has been hired at the middle school to work with students in ELA and mathematics.
At GHS, there has been an emphasis on data and teachers are collaborating to improve instructional practices. Principal Derek Bowen has shifted some staff so its strongest teachers are teaching courses with EOCs.
“We acknowledge our challenges, but are working to improve student achievement this year,” Mitchell said.