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Are All Students Learning the Required Curriculum?

To know whether students are learning the required curriculum, one must understand what students are expected to know and be able to do. Listed below are the highlights for curricular expectations in language arts and mathematics.

• Students will be able to read to construct meaning by interacting with text, recognizing different requirements of a variety of printed materials, and using strategies appropriate for increased comprehension.

• Students will be able to produce writing that conveys purpose and meaning, uses effective writing strategies, and incorporates the conventions of written language to communicate clearly.

• Students will be able to use number and number relationships, geometry and measurement, patterns, functions, and algebra, and probability and data analysis to solve mathematical problems of increasing complexity and communicate reasoning.

There are several measures used to determine if students are learning the required curriculum. While most tests are administered at the end of the year, course, or at the end of a sequence of courses, the District has begun to assess students throughout the year to benchmark their progress and help teachers better understand student achievement needs for instructional planning. The accountability tests include the Georgia High School Graduation Tests and the Criterion Reference Competency Tests. Additionally, the state began testing students at the end of specified courses at the high school level.

There are high percentages of students exceeding basic standards on all accountability tests.

In all major content areas tested last spring, Cobb had a high percentage of students performing at or above proficient levels on accountability tests (Georgia High School Graduation Tests, Criterion Reference Competency Tests). In Reading/Language Arts, 89% of students scored in the proficient range or higher. The percentage of students reaching advanced levels of proficiency was greatest in Reading/Language Arts (47%) and Mathematics (36%).

From 2004 to 2005, there were notable increases in the percentage of proficient or advanced students in the areas of Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics at grades 4 and 5.

There were high percentages of minority students who met or exceeded basic standards on accountability tests.

A high percentage of minority students in Cobb County were at proficient or advanced levels of learning on the accountability tests (GHSGT, CRCT) in the spring of 2005. Highest scores for minority students were in Reading/English Language Arts and Social Studies.

The state End of Course tests administered in 2004-2005 show that students are meeting or exceeding standards at rates similar to those on the CRCT.

The highest percentages of students meeting or exceeding standards were in American Literature/Composition and Biology with lower rates in Economics and Physical Science.

Local Measures (Performance Series) showed students made notable percentile gains in most grade levels from pre to post test periods (2004-2005)

The District is currently monitoring student achievement through more frequent assessments. When looking at the pre to post test periods from May 2004 through May 2005, most grades had positive increases in the percentile rank scores in both Reading and Mathematics.

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