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Tameka Braswell

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2010-2011 Supply Lists

Middle Schools Improve on Writing Test

Thursday, March 18, 2010
Nearly every middle school in Fulton County earned higher scores this year on the eighth grade state writing test. Student scores were nine percentage points higher than the state average when it came to “meeting or exceeding standards” and five percentage points higher than the metro Atlanta average.

Percentage of Students Meeting and/or Exceeding Standards Increases

In Fulton, 88% of all students met or exceeded standards and some middle schools increased their percentage of students in this category by more than 20 points. Fulton also showed a two percentage point gain of students scoring in the “exceeds standard” category while the state’s percentage remained the same.

In addition, 18 middle schools had more than 80% of their students meeting or exceeding standards, and 65% of all Fulton middle schools showed gains this year.

“Writing is one of the most valuable skills we can teach our students, and these results are a clear indication that our teachers and students are working hard to make sure writing remains an academic priority,” said Dr. Cindy Loe, Fulton County Schools superintendent.

While it is normal to see variations in scores from year to year, four schools – Camp Creek, McNair, Renaissance and Ridgeview – saw increases of 10% or more where students met or exceeded the writing standards. Thirteen schools showed gains in the percentage of students exceeding standards, with two schools – Autrey Mill and Haynes Bridge – showing double-digit gains.

Karen Cox, Ridgeview Charter School’s principal, chalks up their success to a variety of strategies, but says the everyday practice of writing was implemented in all classrooms. Students wrote two to three page papers each week and spent time examining model text and determining how to improve it.

Camp Creek Middle School’s principal, Minnie Jenkins-Miller, said language arts teachers honed their teaching skills in trainings and students took part in afterschool writing workshops. Debbie Reeves, Haynes Bridge Middle School’s principal, said their focus has been on making sure writing occurs every day with every student in every class. The school also used their early release days to focus on writing across the curriculum.

System and Individual School’s Scale Scores Increase

A scale score summarizes the overall level of performance of students within a group, whether it’s all students within a school system or all students within a specific school. Fulton’s 2010 student scale score (223) was 10 points higher than the state average (213) and six points higher than the metro Atlanta average (217).

Also, the majority of Fulton schools topped the state scale scores, ranging from 212 to 241. Highest scores were for Northwestern (241), River Trail (239) and Autrey Mill (237). At nine schools, more than 90% of students met or exceeded standards – Taylor Road, Webb Bridge, River Trail, Northwestern, KIPP South Fulton Academy, Hopewell, Haynes Bridge, Crabapple, Autrey Mill and Amana Academy.

As a part of the statewide testing program, the Eighth Grade Writing Assessment was administered in January and required students to write a composition on an assigned topic. The annual assessment provides eighth graders with a measurement of their writing performance. This information can help students, parents, and teachers understand areas where students may need to focus their efforts to improve writing skills before taking the writing portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test in their junior year.

Schools’ writing scores are available at this link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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