The Bartow County School System achieved unprecedented growth on the Georgia Milestones Assessment System. This state-mandated test, administered last spring to students in grades three through twelve, evaluated their proficiency in core subjects. Highlights include:
All seven tested math areas saw an increase or maintained the number of proficient and distinguished students.
Five out of the seven tested math areas exceeded or met the state average, with the remaining two missing the state average by just one point.
All seven tested English Language Arts areas experienced growth in the number of proficient and distinguished students.
Cohort data indicates that every cohort (for example: last year’s third-grade students to this year’s fourth-grade students) either grew or maintained their performance.
“We have never witnessed such remarkable growth before,” said Bartow County School System Superintendent Clint Terza. “The consistency of our Focus Teams Initiative and the efforts of our End of Grade/End of Course Collaborative Teams of Distinction have resulted in higher Milestones and SAT scores, as well as an improved graduation rate.”
To be recognized as a Collaborative Team of Distinction, teacher teams must achieve a student proficiency rate of 50% or higher on the EOG/EOC assessments and surpass the state average.
In Bartow County, 43 elementary school collaborative teams scored above the state average on the math, ELA, science, and social studies Milestones assessments. Of these teams, 29 will earn the designation of Collaborative Teams of Distinction, meaning their students scored above the state average and 50% of students achieved proficiency or higher.
Seventeen middle school collaborative teams scored above the state average on the math, ELA, science, and social studies Milestones assessments. Of these, 10 will earn the designation of Collaborative Teams of Distinction, with their students scoring above the state average and 50% achieving proficiency or higher.
Seven high school collaborative teams scored above the state average on the American Literature, Biology, and US History Milestones assessments. Of these, 2 will earn the designation of Collaborative Teams of Distinction, with their students scoring above the state average and 50% achieving proficiency or higher.
“Our school system also exceeded the state benchmark for all grades and subjects on the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA),” said BCSS Exceptional Education Executive Director Tania Amerson. “The GAA is designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities, providing them an opportunity to demonstrate their progress on essential academic skills in a more personalized and accessible way. This achievement reflects the dedication of our students, teachers, and support staff working together to ensure every learner succeeds.”