Cobb Continues Improvement As 88% of Schools Make AYP

Cobb Continues Improvement As 88% of Schools Make AYP
Needs Improvement Status Unchanged;
East Cobb, Pebblebrook, South Cobb Make AYP

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) data released today shows the Cobb County School District continuing to build on improvements that began in 2006, with fewer schools failing to make AYP and two schools, East Cobb Middle School and Pebblebrook High School, coming off of school improvement status altogether. South Cobb High School also made Adequate Yearly Progress in 2007 and will be removed from school improvement status if the school makes AYP in 2008. The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (OSA) released the 2007 AYP determinations for all schools and districts in the state of Georgia.

Overall, 94 of Cobb County’s schools, or 88 percent, made AYP, according to the state data. That’s up from 80 percent in 2006, and compares to 82 percent of schools statewide that made AYP. Cobb reduced the number of schools not making AYP to 13 in 2007, down from 21 in 2006. In addition, 74 percent of Cobb’s Title I schools made AYP in 2007, up from 57 percent in 2006.

In nearly every case, the Cobb schools that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress fell short in the academic progress of specific subgroups of students. The performance of two subgroups also impacted the school District’s AYP status as a whole. The Students With Disabilities subgroup showed improvement at the high school level in Math and English Language Arts, but still fell short of the percentage required for Adequate Yearly Progress. The English Language Learners subgroup also showed improvement in Math, but still fell short in the same subject areas. Despite the progress, the District remains on a list of school districts in Georgia identified as Needs Improvement, defined as schools or districts that do not make AYP for two consecutive years. Cobb is on the Needs Improvement list for the third year, but the degree of that status did not change.

While the AYP results showed overall improvement for Cobb, the details revealed both positive points and areas of concern. For instance, on the positive side, the percentage of high school students as a whole meeting math goals increased, as did the percentage of Black, White, Multi-racial, Students With Disabilities, English Language Learners, and Economically Disadvantaged subgroups. Of concern is that the percentage of elementary and middle school students meeting math goals decreased overall and in the subgroups. Also of concern is the fact that three middle schools, Lindley, Floyd and Griffin, have failed to make AYP for four consecutive years and have reached restructuring status. The District already has adopted a plan to establish a 6th Grade Academy at Lindley Middle School, and will look at options for the other schools. Back on the positive side, South Cobb High School, which had failed to make AYP for the three consecutive prior years, made the mark in 2007. With one more successful year, the school will be removed from school improvement status altogether. In addition, East Cobb Middle School and Pebblebrook High School made AYP for the second consecutive year and have been removed from school improvement status. An additional positive note is that the overall graduation rate for Hispanic students increased 3.4 percent.

“I am pleased with the progress we are making as a district,” said Superintendent Fred Sanderson. “We did not make AYP overall because two subgroups fell short in two subjects, and yet they both showed improvement over last year. That, along with the gains we see in other areas, indicates to me the efforts we put in place last year are moving us forward. Our administrators and teachers are to be commended for the hard work they have put in to make our schools stronger academically. We will continue to evaluate our strategies, but if we are able to stay focused I think the progress will continue.”

The state has three requirements to make Adequate Yearly Progress:
    1) Schools must test 95 percent of all students in all subgroups in both English/Language
        Arts/Reading and Mathematics.
    2) A set percentage of students must meet or exceed standards on state tests
        (CRCT, GHSGT) in all subgroups – regardless of ability. Those percentages are:
        a. Elementary/Middle English/Language Arts: 66.7 percent scoring 800+ on CRCT
        b. Elementary/Middle Math: 58.3 percent scoring 300+ on CRCT in grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 8;
             800+ on CRCT in grade 6
        c. High School English/Language Arts: 84.7 percent scoring 511+ on GHSGT
        d. High School Math: 68.6 percent scoring 516+ on GHSGT
    3) Schools must also meet requirements of a “second indicator”:
        a. Elementary/Middle: Attendance (Less than 15 percent of students absent 15 days or more)
        b. High School: Graduation Rate (65 percent or more of students with a regular diploma)

Click here to view the AYP Report

Click here to view the list of Choice Schools

Click here for a PDF Presentation about AYP in the Cobb Co. School District