Gains in Pass Rates for 2011 GHSGT

Fayette County Public School System’s scores on the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) remain strong in all subjects, even with the math section of the test aligned to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) for the first time.

The 2011 spring administration results for first time 11th grade test takers show the percentage of passing scores are up in English/Language Arts (97 percent passing) and Science (98 percent passing) by 1 and 2 percent, respectively, compared to last year. Social Studies remained the same (90 percent passing) while Math (95 percent passing) dropped 2 percent compared to the test give last year under Quality Core Curriculum (QCC).

State comparisons show that Fayette has higher pass rates across the board: 6 percent higher in English/Language Arts, 11 percent higher in Math, 5 percent higher in Science and 10 percent higher in Social Studies.

Not only are Fayette’s scores up in English/Language Arts and Science, but also are the percentages of students scoring in the “advanced proficiency” and “honors” categories. In English/Language Arts, the percent scoring in “honors” increased 2 percent; those scoring in “advanced proficiency” in Science increased 6 percent.

Special Education and Hispanic students increased their passing score in English/Language Arts by 12 and 2 percent, respectively, compared to last year. Even with math being aligned for the first time to the GPS, both groups increased their pass rate. Special Education students had a 10 percent increase with Hispanic students increasing their rate by 3 percent.

Passing percentage increases were also seen in science for Hispanic students, up 10 percent, and Black students, up 6 percent.

-----

Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Fayette County Students Graduation Test Results Remain High

Fayette County high school students continue to post high pass rates on the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT), even on the social studies section that was aligned to the new Georgia Performance Standards this year.

In fact, more students scored in the “advanced proficiency” category in the English and science portions, up 2 points to 49 percent and up 1 point to 46 percent, respectively, over 2009. The social studies pass rate dropped 5 points from last year to 89 percent, reflecting the change from the old curriculum to the new, but school officials expect the score to rise next year after teachers and students have had more time to adapt.

The county continues to show much higher pass rates than the state in all subjects: English Language Arts, 95 percent (Fayette) and 87 percent (state); mathematics, 96 percent (Fayette) and 89 percent (state); science, 95 percent (Fayette) and 87 percent (state); social studies, 89 percent (Fayette) and 75 percent (state).

The Hispanic subgroup showed an increase in the percentage of students performing above basic proficiency in nearly all subjects. In English/language arts, those performing at the advanced level increased 10 percent and performance at the honors level increased six percent. In mathematics, advanced proficiency increased three percent; in science, advanced proficiency increased seven percent and honors proficiency increased three percent. Even with the test being aligned to the new social studies curriculum for the first time; the pass rate for Hispanic students increased two percent.

The GHSGT is given to high school students for the first time in the spring of their junior year. All four portions of the test, plus the Georgia High School Writing Test, must be passed in order for a student to receive a full diploma from a Georgia public school. Students can retake the GHSGT as many times as they like if they do not pass specific exams.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage