Newton County Schools' 2023 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) report has been released by the Georgia Department of Education. Notably, the CCRPI no longer assigns an overall 0-100 score for schools, districts, or the state, a change initiated in 2022 through a U.S. Department of Education addendum and solidified this year via an amendment to Georgia's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan.
While the overall scoring approach has shifted, each CCRPI component – Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, Readiness, and Graduation Rate for high schools – retains its 0-100 score. This modification aims to enhance transparency, offering a comprehensive view of school performance and preventing the concealment of challenges and opportunities behind a singular score.
Superintendent Woods emphasized the need to move beyond the oversimplified 100-point score, stating, "With this change, the CCRPI is more like the 'report card' it was always intended to be." The objective is to encourage stakeholders to delve into the data, celebrating achievements and addressing issues previously obscured by a single score.
NCSS CCRPI Rating Produces Mixed Results
Newton County School System's Chief Academic Officer, Benjamin Roundtree, reported positive findings from the review of the CCRPI data. Content mastery scores increased in the areas of Algebra I, Biology, and US History, while the American Literature score decreased. This resulted in an overall increase of 1.8 points for content mastery. Additionally, growth targets were surpassed in key subjects, including Algebra, Biology, and U.S. History (all-students category). The readiness report revealed increased literacy rates, a 10.88-point rise in students reading on or above grade level, and a 2.98-point increase in pathway completion. Noteworthy improvements in literacy were observed across all subgroups, with English Learners and Students with Disabilities making substantial gains.
Middle Schools Require Extra Focus
Middle schools within the Newton County School System reported an overall decrease in content mastery of three points, with ELA being the only content area that demonstrated improvement. While ELA did demonstrate some growth, it was not enough to meet the expected growth target. In fact, three middle schools, Clements Middle, Cousins Middle, and Indian Creek Middle, were named as federal CSI (Comprehensive Support & Improvement) schools needing additional assistance.
NCSS experienced a 6.3-point increase in overall readiness scores, with literacy seeing a notable boost of 12.89 points. Similarly, elementary schools witnessed improvements in content mastery across all subjects, particularly in mathematics. English Learner (EL) students demonstrated ongoing progress toward EL proficiency. Overall readiness scores for elementary schools rose by nine points, with literacy showing the most significant growth. All subgroups at the elementary level exhibited positive gains in literacy. As such, two elementary schools rotated off the federal Needs Improvement list—South Salem Elementary and Porterdale Elementary. The district did have one elementary school, Livingston Elementary, added to the CSI list and Live Oak Elementary School was included as an ATSI (Additional Targeted Support & Improvement) School as a result of performance in one subgroup.
"At Newton County Schools, we are proud to acknowledge the positive strides reflected in the 2023 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) report,” said Dr. Duke Bradley, III, NCSS School Superintendent. “The increase in content mastery scores, surpassing growth targets, and notable improvements in literacy are commendable achievements. However, as we celebrate these highlights, it is crucial to recognize that the report indicates there is still much work to be done.”
He added, “We are committed to a thorough review of the data, not only at the district and school levels but down to the classroom. Our goal is to ensure transparency and address challenges and opportunities that may be obscured by a single score. While we have made progress, the journey toward educational excellence for all students requires continuous improvement.