The results of the recently released CRCT tests given to all Georgia students in first through eighth grade, show Pickens County test-takers scored higher than surrounding counties and the state average in almost every category at every grade.
Looking at the system as a whole, Superintendent Mike Ballew noted Pickens County met or exceeded the state average in 33 of 36 categories.
Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests, which are administered in the spring to students in elementary and middle schools, showed in many grades Pickens not only beat, but had substantially higher percentages of students exceeding the minimum standards than surrounding counties.
Summing up the overall system's performance, Peggy Andrews, who will retire later this month from her role as curriculum director for Pickens schools, said, "We did quite well in comparison to the state. We did an awesome job there."
Andrews said one of the most useful comparisons is to see how local schools stack up against nearby counties.
When compared to the rest of the educational region, Pickens consistently finished second behind Cherokee County at most grade levels and subjects.
The exception being second and seventh grades where Pickens trailed other region counties, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray and Whitfield in several subjects.
Some selected examples of how Pickens compared to the other region counties follow. All scores for all counties are available at the AJC.com.
Systemwide in Grade 1 Reading only 6.5 percent of student here didn't meet or exceed state minimums; in Cherokee it was 5.7 percent; in Fannin 14 percent; Gilmer 16.4 percent; Murray 14.7 percent and Whitfield 11.7 percent.
In Fifth grade science Pickens had only 4.4 percent of its students fail to meet minimum standards. Other counties had more students failing to meet the minimum standards, with Cherokee at 4.6 percent; Fannin 3.8; Gilmer 10.9 percent; Murray 9.4 percent; Whitfield 9.5 percent.
Across the region, a higher percentage of students failed to meet the state minimums at the middle school level. For example with Sixth Grade Math, Pickens did the best in the region, but still had 26.3 percent of its students fail to meet minimum standards. Other counties' rates were Cherokee 27.7 percent; Fannin 42.3 percent; Gilmer 46.1 percent.
The overall state average for students not meeting minimum standards in sixth grade Math was an abysmal 38 percent.
While we did well in comparison with other areas, a few "red flags" in the local curriculum were spotted with the scores, particularly in the second and seventh grades, according to Andrews.
In the following areas, local students failed to surpass the state average:
* Second Grade reading - both Hill City Elementary and Jasper Elementary finished with slightly fewer than the state average of students who met/ exceeded the state standards;
* Second Grade English as Language Arts - Tate Elementary finished two percentage points below state average for students meeting or exceeding standards;
* Second Grade Math - both Jasper and Hill City elementaries finished below the state average for students meeting or exceeding standards;
* Third Grade Social Studies - Hill City Elementary finished three percentage points below the state average for students meeting or exceeding standards;

* Fifth Grade Math - Jasper Elementary finished four percentage points below the state average of students who met or exceeded the minimum requirements.
* Seventh Grade Reading - Pickens Middle School finished one percentage point below the state average;
*Eighth Grade Reading - Pickens Middle School finished one percentage point below the state average;
* Seventh Grade Science - Pickens Middle School finished five percentage points behind the state average for students meeting or exceeding standards.
* Eighth Grade Science - Jasper Middle School finished two percentage points behind the state average for students meeting or exceeding standards.

* Seventh Grade Social Studies - Pickens Middle School finished eight percentage points behind the state average for students meeting or exceeding standards.
Andrews said it's important to note in most of the areas where Pickens fell below the state average, it was only by a percent or two. However she said the system's goal is to surpass, not just meet, the state average.

Discussing variances in the local comparisons, both Ballew and Andrews said in their experience, scores fluctuate between schools from year to year.
Andrews said there are a lot of different factors which lead one grade level at one school to outperform or underperform other schools in the system.
She said they review the results but don't take action unless they spot a trend of certain grades, or schools, continually underperforming.
"We're always looking at these things, but it can change from year to year," she said.
Ballew said they will be creating charts on the trends so they can track how certain classes have performed over the past several years, but these aren't expected to be ready until later this summer.
Andrews said these test scores aren't taken lightly by the principals and teachers. "The principals were waiting at my desk on June 3 when the scores arrived," she said. "They will use these in their school improvement plans."
In addition to the public scores, Andrews said principals look at the scores on a per-student basis.
Ballew said they look at the scores, then get input from teachers on how to improve them.
"When we get results, we break down by subject area and school and see where we need to make improvements," he said. "Overall, we're happy as compared to state."
Andrews said an important use of these scores is disseminating them to the principals and to the teachers so they can be used directly to help students who are failing and address lesson plans for future classes, "where the rubber meets the road," as she put it.
She said the key to improving scores is to look at the results of each student who fell below the state minimum and work with them on a personal level.
"It comes down to looking at each student," she said. "The only way to raise a school's score is to find the students who are failing and work with them."
She said particularly at the middle school level, there are efforts to group students who struggle on certain parts of the tests together for extra help.
Ballew said they don't keep formal charts on individual teachers and how their students fare on a yearly basis. Nor do they reward or reprimand teachers based on the test results.
"But, everyone is aware of them [ the scores]," Ballew said.
Andrews said principals will use the scores to assist teachers in preparing for class.
Another factor that is studied when scores are low is how the local curriculum matches what the students are asked on the tests.
This year, for example, Andrews said some of the worst scores across the state came as no surprise in the 7th grade science where a new GPS curriculum is being implemented.
Andrews called the poor middle school science scores " a red flag."
"This is the first year we taught and tested this stuff and certainly these scores are going to make us look at it," she said.
She said there are also new curriculums for language arts and reading but the local system is strong in those areas and didn't see scores fall off.
"Our own curriculum already meshed well with the new curriculum in those areas," she said. "I attribute the solid scores in those areas to the direct instruction we used in the system. Direct Instruction (DI as it's often called) promotes a lot of reading and communication in the classroom."
The CRCT (Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests) were implemented in 2000 to test and assess all students. The results have either already been given to parents or will be sent.