Barrow County School System had significant gains in the College & Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) in 2019 over 2018. The district also beat the state scores at the elementary and middle school levels. Again this year, 13 of 15 schools earned a 4 or 5 on the School Climate Star Rating, with 5 being the highest rating.
The scores were released today by the Georgia Department of Education. The CCRPI is Georgia’s statewide accountability measurement as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 2019 and 2018 CCRPI scores are directly comparable. Scores from prior years are not comparable because the state made improvements to the CCRPI calculation as part of its State ESSA Plan. The 2018 CCRPI was the first to use the new calculation.
The overall district score on the 2019 CCRPI was 76.7, with scores of 77.7 for elementary schools, 76.7 for middle schools, and 75.8 for high schools.
Superintendent Dr. Chris McMichael attributes this growth to consistent, intentional focus with our teachers and administrators. “I am overall very pleased with the results. We made a strong level of improvement across the board. I would say an item of special note is the fact that several schools showed increases in the double digits this year! The growth we are seeing underscores the high levels of commitment and drive that every member of our BCSS community exhibits in the service of our students!”
The following schools had an increase of 10 or more points: Auburn Elementary (+19.4), Bramlett Elementary (+12.8), Holsenbeck Elementary (+10.9), Haymon-Morris Middle (+10.9), and Russell Middle (+10.3).
About the CCRPI
Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) – the replacement for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) passed in 2015 – states are required to have a “statewide accountability system” that provides information on how well schools are performing. The CCRPI is Georgia’s accountability system.
Similar accountability systems were required under the No Child Left Behind waivers many states operated under before ESSA was passed, but ESSA gives states more authority over the process.
After ESSA was signed into law, the Georgia Department of Education spent two years gathering input from the public and working with a committee of educators and other stakeholders to redesign the CCRPI. Parents, educators, members of the business community, and others said they wanted a CCRPI that reflected the opportunities schools offered students – from fine arts to career education – rather than a focus strictly on standardized test scores.
The CCRPI was refined based on this feedback, and 2019 is the second year scores from the redesigned CCRPI have been released. CCRPI scores are based on five separate components – Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, Readiness and, for high schools, Graduation Rate.
School Climate Star Rating
As part of the CCRPI reports, the Georgia Department of Education released the 2019 School Climate Star Ratings for local schools. This rating is provided as an informational tool for schools, parents, and communities. While it is reported alongside the CCRPI, it is not included in the calculation that produces school and district CCRPI scores.
School climate refers to the quality and character of school life – the “culture” of a school. A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and student learning, which are essential elements for academic success, career-skill improvement, and overall quality of life.
The School Climate Star Rating assesses the climate of a school – each school in Georgia receives a one- to five-star rating, with five stars representing an excellent school climate and one star representing a school climate most in need of improvement.
Barrow County School System had 7 of the 15 schools earn a 5 Climate Star Rating, and 13 of 15 earned at least a 4 star rating. These included: Bethlehem Elementary, Bramlett Elementary, Yargo Elementary, and all of our middle schools, Russell, Bear Creek, Haymon-Morris and Westside.
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Barrow County Schools are BOLDly Committed to Student Success and serve more than 14,000 students in the metro-Atlanta area as the 25th largest school system in Georgia. For more information, please visit www.barrow.k12.ga.us or contact us at 770-867-4527.
Media Contact:
Shenley Rountree, Director of Public Relations & Strategic Partnerships - 770-867-4527