The state boasts “big gains” in Georgia public schools this year after releasing initial Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results last week, and local school district officials cited overall progress although they have addressed some concerns. Harlason County Public Schools fell short of the AYP standard due to scores from students with disabilities at every school, according to the district’s Public Information Officer Kersha Cartwright. However, school officials are pleased with the all-student categories, which Cartwright said has increased a great deal.

“We will continue working with students with disabilities to help them reach goals set by the school system as well as the state by implementing school improvement measures, but we are very pleased with results in the all-students categories,” she said.

The state requires 73.3 percent of students succeed in order to meet the state guidelines. Meanwhile, Haralson County Schools Testing Coordinator Annette Johnson said overall the system has shown signs of improvement based on last year’s results.

In Buchanan Primary School, officials saw a nearly 13-point increase in math scores for the all-category, which was raised from 72.8 percent in 2008, to 85.9 percent this year. Reading and English/language arts scores at the school inched up about seven points this year, as 86.6 percent of students met or exceeded the goal, while 79.4 percent reached the bar last year.

Buchanan Elementary maintained the trend in the all-group by raising math scores from 61.8 percent to 72.1 percent, which marked almost an 11-point increase.

“The first- through eighth-grade economically-disadvantaged sub-group is doing well and the system is about 50 percent disadvantaged, so we’re looking at about half the kids meeting absolute bar,” Johnson added. “Each school all-group and economically-disadvantaged group met absolute bar, which includes reading and English/language arts and math.”

On the other hand, Johnson noted Haralson High School students appear to be struggling most at the high school level, which warrants a need for math coaches next school year to develop instructional strategies and content analyses. She said teachers will also periodically administer benchmark testing to first- through eighth-grade students in order to pinpoint areas for remediation.

According to the state, more than 79 percent of students made AYP, and 58 schools shook the “needs improvement” label by making AYP for two consecutive years. Though Haralson County wasn’t in that number, Johnson applauded the system’s efforts because the graduation rate raised from 66.3 percent to 74.2 percent this year, which she feels good about since the state’s goal was 75 percent. On the downside, the economically-disadvantaged group at the high school fell short of meeting the math and English requirements this year, Johnson said school officials will work hard to rectify.

Yet, Bremen City Schools Assistant Superintendent Janis Parrish announced the system met AYP standards in every school except the Bremen Middle sub-group for students with disabilities.

She noted an unsteady curriculum as a possible reason for the shortfall at the middle school. However, she expects IDEA funds for students with disabilities to support a reading remedial program and other academic improvement initiatives at the school.

“We have evaluated and looked into an improvement plan that will include purchases of instructional materials and software money that can also buy manipulatives that can enhance the learning process,” Parrish said.

She added the system “looked really good,” in terms of statewide rankings since the system ranked fourth in seventh-grade science, fifth in eighth-grade science and 46th in fifth-grade math.

Parrish also reported fair results for the graduation rate, that joins the state’s initial graduation rate of 77.8 percent this year. That is up from the initial 2008 graduation rate of 75.4 percent, which includes summer graduates, according to state reports.

“Improving the graduation rate continues to be a top priority in the state of Georgia,” said state Superintendent Kathy Cox. “I am proud of the progress we’re making, but there is certainly a lot of work left to be done.”

For more information about AYP results, visit the Georgia Department of Education Web site at www.doe.k12.ga.us.