Press Release

Trends Indicate Cobb Schools Are Closing the Gap
Despite Tougher Standards

RELATED DOCUMENTS:
    ●  2008 AYP Press Release (PDF)
    ●  2008 AYP Table (PDF)
    ●  2008 AYP Table (Online Document)
    ●  2008 AYP Presentation (PDF)
    ●  2008 AYP Metro Comparison (PDF)
    ●  2008 AYP District State Comparison (PDF)

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) data released today shows Cobb County schools continued an upward trend of improvement in 2008. The District reduced the number of schools on the Needs Improvement list, but saw an increase in schools not making AYP because the standard for passing increased for several indicators. AYP determinations for all schools and districts in the state of Georgia were released by The Georgia Department of Education.

Two schools, South Cobb High School and Norton Park Elementary School, made AYP and were completely removed from Needs Improvement status. In addition, Floyd and Campbell middle schools made AYP for the first time ever and could come off the Needs Improvement list if they make AYP again in 2009. Overall, the number of schools on Needs Improvement decreased from 11 to 10. Additionally, several schools are expected to make AYP once the results of the summer retake exams are returned by the state.

Of the 83 indicators for AYP, district met requirements on 77, or 93 percent. Cobb students performed well despite the increase in the AYP standard for passing in both Math and English Language Arts/Reading for the Criterion Reference Competency Tests (CRCT) and for the Georgia High School Graduation Test. In addition, the requirement for an acceptable high school graduation rate, a key indicator for AYP, jumped from 65 percent in 2007 to 70 percent in 2008. Despite the tougher standard, the 2008 overall graduation rate jumped to 83.5 percent—a 2.2 percent increase over last year. Data also show that more than 92 percent of all elementary and middle school students met or exceeded standards in English Language Arts/Reading ­– a 3 percent increase over 2007. Continuing a three-year upward trend in this category, the number of students meeting or exceeding standards increased 14 percent for ELL students, 10 percent for Hispanic students, 9.1 percent for Economically Disadvantaged Students, and 7.3 percent for Black and SWD groups since 2006. Each of these subgroups also showed improvement this year.

Math performance decreased at the elementary and middle school levels in 2008, an expected result because of a new, more rigorous test implemented in grades 3, 4, 5, and 8. Scores typically decline when new tests are introduced and a drop in the percentage of students meeting and exceeding standards in math was common statewide. Regardless of the change in testing, approximately 80 percent of elementary and middle school students met or exceeded standards in math. While the overall percentage of students passing math declined, some subgroups showed increases in the highest performance category ­– exceeding expectations.

At the high school level, 94 percent of students met or exceeded standards in ELA, a slight decline of 1.2 percent from 2007. Students achieved this level despite a 3 percent increase in the AYP performance bar. In math, 85 percent of high school students met or exceeded standards, despite a 6 percent jump in the AYP performance bar.

Superintendent Fred Sanderson said, “We knew this year’s results would be a challenge because of the new standards for testing and meeting AYP, but I’m pleased to see that some schools continue to show real improvements. Even though we saw declines in areas where the standards changed, our overall performance in some areas continues to improve. For example, we saw a 3% increase in the number of students meeting/exceeding standards in English Language Arts. I’m especially pleased to see we are closing the gap among our subgroups - a result of the focused efforts of our teachers and administrators.”

Attendance rates, another key AYP indicator, also continued an upward trend. This year, the district reported just 4.8 percent of students absent 15 days or more, down from 6.4 percent three years ago. Attendance rates among most subgroups have also improved every year.

While Cobb schools continue to show marked improvement among the subgroups defined by the state, these subgroups also continue to be the primary areas where schools,and the district as a whole,fall short of making AYP. When a school did not make AYP, the reason usually stemmed from the performance of either Students With Disabilities (SWD), English Language Learners (ELL), Economically Disadvantaged, Black, or Hispanic students. The majority of the schools fell short in the area of math, where a new test was introduced at the elementary and middle school levels and the performance bar increased 6.3 percent at the high school level.

The performance of subgroups is a critical issue for school districts nationwide. A comparison of 2007 AYP data (most recent available) for six school systems* similar in size and demographics to Cobb County showed that all six failed to make AYP due to the performance of ELL, SWD and/or Black subgroups.

“Obviously, our goal is for all schools and the district to make AYP,” said Dr. Steven Constantino, Associate Superintendent of Leadership and Learning. “To do that the increases we are making with our subgroups would have to outpace the changing standards for AYP, and those standards are rising rapidly. By 2014, 100 percent of students will be required to meet or exceed standards on the assessments currently used to measure AYP.”

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