The “Needs Improvement” label has been removed from nearly 100 Georgia schools, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) announced Tuesday.

The state’s annual Adequate Yearly Progress report – required by the Federal No Child Left Behind Act – was released Tuesday afternoon. State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox said the number of schools losing the “Needs Improvement” label is a testament to the hard work that is going on around the state.

"These schools have been taking bold steps and have been making smart, data-driven decisions for instructing their students, and it is paying off,” Superintendent Cox said.

Nearly 79 percent of schools made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) even though the state’s new, more rigorous curriculum was implemented this past school year – meaning many of the tests used to determine AYP were more difficult to pass. This was especially true of the Reading and English tests in elementary and middle schools, as well as the 6th grade math test.

Additionally, the bar for making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) was raised in high school this year. A higher percentage of students had to pass the Georgia High School Graduation Tests in English and math in order for high schools to meet the academic goals. This year, 68.6 percent of 11th graders had to pass the high school math test and 84.7 percent had to pass the English/Language Arts test. Last year, 62.3 percent had to pass the math test and 81.6 percent had to pass the English/Language Arts test.

“We raised expectations of our students and teachers at all levels and they rose to the challenge,” Superintendent Cox said. “I’m very proud of the hard work that is happening all across Georgia.”
Among the highlights of the AYP report:

- There were 99 schools removed from needs improvement status. The total number of schools in needs improvement dropped to 310 this year – the lowest total ever.

- There were 1,630 schools that made Adequate Yearly Progress this year, approximately 78.7 percent.

- About 67 percent of the state’s middle schools made AYP, an increase of nearly ten percentage points.

- There were 54 school systems that had every school in the district make AYP.

Superintendent Cox also highlighted the work of the GaDOE’s School Improvement Division. In 2003, the School Improvement Division began working with the 533 schools that were in needs improvement status that year. Of those, 430 schools – more than 80 percent – have been removed from needs improvement status.

“Through School Improvement, we have been able to offer support and best practices to our needs improvement schools at the ground level,” Superintendent Cox said. “Clearly this work is having a big impact.”

While the news was good in elementary and middle schools, the percentage of high schools making Adequate Yearly Progress dropped from 63 percent in 2005 to 51.1 percent in 2006.

“The AYP results show us that we must continue our work at the state and local levels to improve high schools,” Superintendent Cox said. “That work is well underway.” Among the many efforts that are underway at the state level to improve high school performance are:

- The new, more rigorous curriculum.

- Graduation Specialists that will be placed in each high school thanks to Governor Perdue and the state legislature.

- A comprehensive effort to redesign our secondary schools so they offer students a rigorous and relevant education.

- The use of technology to give all students access to rigorous classes and the tools of success, including the Georgia Virtual School and the free Online SAT Prep Course.

For a full report, please visit the GaDOE AYP Website at www.gadoe.org/ayp2006.