More than 79% of Schools Make AYP

Big gains in Uncomplicated and Middle Grades
58 Schools Lose "Needs Improvement" Label

More than 79 percent of Georgia's public schools made Adequate Once-a-year Progress, or AYP, according to initial results released today -- a 10 point jump over 2008.

Additionally, 58 schools across the declare shook the "Needs Improvement" label by having made AYP for two consecutive years.

"The initial AYP results demonstrate that our students are continuing to constitute excellent progress even as we raise expectations," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "Clearly, our teachers and students are working harder than ever and we're seeing the results."

Controller Cox released the initial 2009 AYP Report this morning while speaking at the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) seminar in Jekyll Island. The final AYP report will be released in the fall and will include summer retest scores and summer graduates.
Compared to monogram AYP results last year, the 2009 report shows that:

- The percentage of schools making AYP jumped more than 10 points from 68.8% to 79.1%.
- The part of elementary schools making AYP jumped 13.4 points and the percentage of middle schools jumped 10.4 points.
- The piece of Title 1 schools making AYP increased by more than 13 points, from 64.8% to 78.4% (Title 1 schools have a significant population of economically-disadvantaged students).
Manager Cox said the improvements that elementary and middle school students showed in mathematics are a big part of the AYP results. Pass rates on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Evaluate (CRCT) in mathematics improved in all grades across the state (More information: http://www.gadoe.org/pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&obj=1822).

"Mathematics accomplishment was a key to our improvement in AYP results this year," said Superintendent Cox. "We are asking our students to learn more rigorous mathematics