A goal of the instructional program of Cobb County School District (District) is for each student to demonstrate academic achievement at levels commensurate with challenging and yearly individual learning goals benchmarked to state, national and international standards.

A. ACCREDITATION:

    The District shall comply with requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and

    Schools (SACS) and its parent organization, AdvancED, necessary to maintain

    accreditation for each District elementary, middle and high school.

B. STATE STANDARDS:

    The Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and other state mandated standards define

    the required learning goals of the District curriculum. Student mastery of the GPS is

    demonstrated as follows:

1. Students participating in the Georgia Grade Three Writing Assessment, the Grade Five  

   Writing Assessment, the Georgia Middle Grades Writing Assessment (MGWA), and the

   Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT) shall, as a minimum, achieve a “passing”

   score as defined by the Georgia Department of Education;

    2. Elementary and middle school students taking Georgia Criterion-Referenced

       Competency Tests (CRCT) shall, as a minimum, achieve a “passing” score, as defined

       by the Georgia Department of Education, in each area tested;

    3. High school students taking Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) shall, as a

       minimum, achieve a “passing” score, as defined by the State Department of Education,

       in each subject tested; and

    4. Intellectually disabled students may qualify to participate in the Georgia Alternative

       Assessment (GAA) as their criterion for demonstrating mastery of the GPS.

C. NATIONAL STANDARDS:

    National standards define a means to compare the academic achievement of District

    students with that of students across the nation. Student mastery of these standards is

    demonstrated as follows:

    1. Students at all levels who participate in national tests, such as the Iowa Test of Basic

        Skills (ITBS), the SAT, and the American College Test (ACT), shall, as a minimum,

        score the test’s national average score.

D. INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS:

    International standards define a means to compare the academic achievement of District

    students with that of students from other countries. Student mastery of these standards

    is demonstrated as follows:

    1. Advanced Placement (AP) Program:

        a. Schools shall develop and implement plans to increase:

            (1)The number of students participating in AP courses; and

            (2) The number of students taking AP tests.

        b. Students who participate in AP tests shall, as a minimum, score “3” or better on the

            test’s 5-point scoring scale. AP tests are administered internationally.

    2. International Baccalaureate (IB) Program:

        a. The IB program shall maintain a passing rate on the international IB tests of no less

            than 96%; and

        b. Students in the IB program are required to participate in the international IB tests.

            They shall, as a minimum, score the test’s world average score. 

Adopted: 5/14/08