MCS Students Meeting, Exceeding Writing Test Standards Surpass State Average

The percentage of Marietta City Schools eighth graders meeting and exceeding standards (87 percent) increased by eleven percentage points from 2012 and surpassed the state (82 percent) and Metro area averages (86 percent) on the 2013 Georgia Eighth Grade Writing Assessment (EGWA).

Marietta’s White student population exceeded the state average by 11 percentage points (98 percent meeting/exceeding), and Black students exceeded the state average by 12 percentage points (87 percent meeting/exceeding).

Sixteen fewer students (546) tested in 2013.

“Our student performance in those meeting and exceeding standards was much improved this year surpassing both state and metro performances,” said Emily Lembeck, MCS Superintendent, in a press release.

“Writing remains a critical skill at all grade levels and across all subject areas. Our Marietta Middle School teachers continue to provide opportunities and differentiated instructional strategies to increase the number of students who write effectively.”

Marietta eighth grade students also exceeded the state on all four effective writing domains.

As part of the statewide test, students are required to write a composition on an assigned topic. The test provides eighth graders with a measurement of their writing performance, and rates their performance (on a scale of 1 to 5) in four domains of effective writing: Ideas, Organization, Style, and Conventions. Marietta students exceeded the state on all four domains.