Douglas County Schools See Increase In State Testing Scores

Douglas County students showed gains in many areas on the spring 2019 Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS). Reading scores in grades 3-8 increased, with a large number of students reading at or above grade level, Douglas County School System (DCSS) said in a news release.

All grades 3-8 scored above the state average in English language arts (ELA). High school students made significant gains on end of course (EOC) tests, with an increase in seven of the eight subjects tested.

“We are always happy to see students scoring on or above grade level, and we are seeing steady gains in our scores in elementary and middle schools,” Superintendent Trent North said in the release. “We are particularly proud to see the strong scores in English Language Arts in the lower grades. Reading is the foundation of all future learning. I’m proud of the gains we are seeing in our high school EOC scores. I appreciate all the effort our teachers and administrators have made in these areas.”

ELA for grades 3-8 was a particularly bright spot, with a significant increase in students who scored proficient or distinguished. The third grade increase was particularly notable given the long-term impact of students’ ability to read on grade level by third grade, DCSS said.

More than 50 percent of students in grades 6 and 8 scored at the proficient and distinguished levels, a 15 percent increase from the previous year.

Forty-five percent of students in grades 3-5 scored proficient or distinguished. Every grade 3-8 scored above the state average. The GMAS Reading Status measurement, a Lexile score derived from reading and vocabulary questions on the ELA assessment, showed that 72 percent of students in grades 3, 4, and 5 were reading at or above grade level. In grades 6, 7, and 8, 73 percent were reading at or above grade level.

The mean scale score for ELA in grades 3-8 increased over 2018 as follows:

• Grade 3 -- 503 to 511
• Grade 4 -- 509 to 517
• Grade 5 -- 515 to 520
• Grade 6 -- 513 to 524
• Grade 7 -- 507 to 513
• Grade 8 -- 518 to 522

Students in grades 3, 6, and 7 scored above the state average in math, with grades 6 and 7 showing gains from the previous year. Approximately 40 percent of students in grades 3-8 scored proficient or distinguished, DCSS said.

The mean scale score increased over 2018 in three grade levels as follows:

• Grade 3 – 519 to 520
• Grade 6 – 511 to 516
• Grade 7 – 515 to 519

Students in grade 8 scored above the state average in science while students in grade 5 scored above the state average in social studies. High schools in Douglas County also had a lot to celebrate.

When comparing the spring 2019 EOC results to spring 2018, the Douglas County School System saw an increase in the scale score for seven of the eight areas, with an average increase of 29 points. The greatest gains were in Algebra I and Geometry, DCSS said.

The following areas on the spring 2019 administration of the EOC saw an increase in the developing, proficient, and distinguished categories:

• 9th Grade Literature
• American Literature
• Algebra I
• Biology
• Physical Science
• U.S. History

Douglas County students scored above the state average in Algebra I and Economics.