Published June 2006

All local schools pass the big test
100 percent of local campuses make Adequate Yearly Progress

By Dan Pool
Based on results released from the Georgia Department of Education Tuesday afternoon all six public schools in Pickens County were found to have made "adequate yearly progress" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The Georgia Department of Education website showed all three elementary schools(Jasper, Tate and Hill City), both middle schools (Pickens County and Jasper) and the high school all passed all parts of the tests.
Of the many tests given to schools and students, this is considered one of the most important as it relates to funding and special requirements placed on a school system.
Across Georgia, 78.7 percent of all schools met the criteria to be considered making adequate yearly progress, or AYP as it is often called.
This is the first time all Pickens schools made AYP in recent years. Last year Pickens High failed to make AYP. In 2004, Jasper Elementary and Jasper Middle schools did not make AYP.
Across North Georgia, Pickens, Murray and Floyd counties all made AYP at all schools in their system this year after missing last year. Fannin and Lumpkin met AYP standards systemwide for their second consecutive years and Rabun County made AYP systemwide for its fourth consecutive year.
Cherokee, Dawson, Gordon, and Gilmer counties all failed to make AYP at all schools this year.
In a report released by the Georgia Department of Education, Kathy Cox, the state superintendent of schools, said this year's results show hard work is paying off. She noted that across the state 100 schools moved from the needs improvement to the AYP list.
"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.
The state's press release noted nearly 79 percent of schools made Adequate Yearly Progress 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.
"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."
Further information on the AYP list can be found at the Georgia department of education website - http://www.gadoe.org/ayp2006.