Graduation Test Scores Increase in English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies

Results of the 2011 Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) show student scores increased in all content areas where there is historical data - science, social studies and English language arts. Because this is the first year the more rigorous Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)-based mathematics GHSGT was given, there is no historical data to compare from year to year in that content area.

"The results of the 2011 GHSGT are very encouraging,” State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge said. "These scores give us a good indicator that students and teachers continue to rise to the challenge of a more rigorous curriculum.”

The percentage of students passing the English language arts GHSGT (91%) increased one percentage point from 2010. In science, 93% of students passed the test, an increase of three percentage points from last year. Finally, in social studies, 80% of students passed the GHSGT, a two percentage point increase over last year’s results.

For the first time this year, the GHSGT in mathematics is GPS-based. On the mathematics exam, 84% of students passed, an expected decrease from last year’s Quality Core Curriculum-based exam (91%).

In March 2011, the State Board of Education approved Superintendent Barge’s recommendation to allow school districts to teach math with an integrated or discrete delivery method.

"We know many students have struggled with the integrated approach to mathematics,” said Superintendent Barge. “A one-size-fits-all approach is not in the best interest of all of our students, but high expectations and our rigorous curriculum are right for all of them. We expected a decline in results for the math portion of the GHSGT, but based on feedback from school districts, we anticipated a more dramatic decline.”

Project ExPreSS Offered for Students Needing Remediation in Mathematics
The Exam Preparation for Student Success (ExPreSS) program is a free, two-week summer remediation program for Georgia public high school juniors who were first-time test-takers this year and did not pass the mathematics portion of the GHSGT.

About the Georgia High School Graduation Tests
The GHSGT are given to high school students for the first time in the spring of their junior year. All four portions of the test, plus the Georgia High School Writing Test, must be passed in order for a student to receive a full diploma from a Georgia public high school. Students can retake the GHSGT as many times as needed to pass the exams.

Since 2005, the state has been implementing the Georgia Performance Standards, a more rigorous and focused curriculum in the core areas of mathematics, English language arts, social studies and science. As the curriculum is phased in, the state's tests are being aligned to match the GPS.

Since the GHSGT assess cumulative knowledge, the new curriculum must be in place for three years before the exams can be fully aligned to the GPS. The science and English language arts GHSGT were aligned to the GPS for the first time in spring 2008. The social studies exam transitioned to a GPS test in spring 2010, and the mathematics exam transitioned to the GPS for the first time this spring.

The new, GPS-aligned tests are graded on four scoring levels – below proficiency, basic proficiency, advanced proficiency and honors. The tests aligned to the old curriculum are scored on three levels – did not pass, pass and pass plus.

At their April 2011 meeting, the State Board of Education approved Superintendent Barge's recommendation to phase out the GHSGT beginning with students entering ninth grade for the first time in 2011. For details about the phase-out plan, visit http://www.gadoe.org/pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&obj=2032.

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GaDOE to Offer Free Online High School Graduation Test Remediation

State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox announced Friday a free online remediation course for high school students to help them pass the science and/or social studies portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT). Registration for the courses begins TODAY, Monday, February 1, 2010.

FreeOnline ExPreSS (Exam Preparation for Science and Social Studies) will be offered by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) online to all high school students and certificate of attendance recipients who were unsuccessful on or who have not yet taken the Science and/or Social Studies GHSGT.

The GaDOE offered the ExPreSS program last summer in schools throughout the state and saw tremendous results. Students in the program had an overall retest pass rate of 68 percent; more than double the previous year’s pass rate on GHSGT retests in science and social studies.

“With the success we saw in our ExPreSS program over the summer, we knew we needed to offer it again and make an online version available to even more students,” said Superintendent Cox. “FreeOnline ExPreSS will also help financially-strapped school districts that may not have the resources to provide extra help to high school students in preparing for the GHSGT.”

FreeOnline ExPreSS creates an online opportunity designed to help students prepare for the science and social studies GHSGT. Science and social studies are the two GHSGTs that Georgia students fail most often. It will offer self-paced units based on the instructional plans created for the summer ExPreSS Program.

Students can create their own registration account using their Georgia Testing Identifier (GTID) number. Detailed instructions for creating this account and locating their GTID number will be provided on the ExPreSS website at: https://www.georgiastandards.org/Resources/Pages/Tools/ExPreSS.aspx

The summer Project ExPreSS program is scheduled for June 14-25, 2010. To get more information, please click on the following link: https://www.georgiastandards.org/resources/Documents/Student_ExPreSS_Flyer.pdf

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State of Georgia Helps 1,400 Students Pass Grad Test‏

Nearly 1,400 students are a big step closer to graduation thanks to an innovative partnership between the state and local school districts.

The Exam Preparation for Science and Social Studies (ExPreSS) program was a state-funded effort aimed at students who had not passed the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) in Science or Social Studies. More than 2,000 students received two weeks of intensive instruction June 8-18 and then had the opportunity to retest on June 19.

The overall pass rate on this retest was 68 percent; more than double last year's pass rate on GHSGT retests in science and social studies.

"We knew that with just a little bit of focus and intensity many of these students would pass the test and be a step closer to getting their diploma," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "I'm very pleased with the results and I am grateful for the collaborative efforts of many great educators across the state."

Public high school students take GHSGTs in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies and must pass all the exams, as well as the Georgia High School Writing Test, in order to graduate. Science and social studies are the two GHSGTs that Georgia students have struggled with the most.

Superintendent Cox heard from many school systems that, due to financial constraints, they were not able to offer extra help to high school students this summer.

"I felt that the ExPreSS program was a way that the state could directly help our students and provide our school systems with a little relief," she said.

There were 2,043 students from over 100 school districts that attended the ExPreSS program – 1,072 for social studies and 971 for science. The instruction took place at 29 sites around the state. The classes were led by 180 educators: 89 science teachers and 91 social studies teachers.

In social studies, 73 percent of the ExPreSS participants passed the retest. By comparison, the 2008 summer retest pass rate on the Social Studies GHSGT was 27 percent.

In science, 63 percent of the ExPreSS participants passed the retest. By comparison, the 2008 summer retest pass rate on the Science GHSGT was 29 percent.

"It took a lot of collaboration, teamwork and flexibility to make the ExPreSS program happen and to get these kind of results," said Superintendent Cox. "We are in the process of reviewing what went well and what we need to improve and, if the budget allows, we look forward to serving even more students next year."

In May, the State Board of Education approved up to $1.5 million in state funds to pay for all aspects of the ExPreSS program. About $900,000 of that money was to pay for teachers who received $4,000 each and may receive a $500 bonus if 80 percent or more of their students passed the retest. It is not known how many teachers will receive the bonus yet. Aside from salaries, the funding went toward supplies, transportation costs and other expenses.

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