The scores from the 2015-2016 College and Career Readiness Performance Index, or CCRPI, show that most schools within the Dougherty County School System continue to close the gap with state averages with the middle schools coming within 1.5 points.

Begun in 2012 as a means of promoting college and career readiness for all Georgia public school students, the College and Career Ready Performance Index is a comprehensive school improvement, accountability, and communication platform. The CCRPI includes four main components: Achievement, Progress, Achievement Gap, and Challenge Points. These components are combined for a total of 100 points with a possibility of 10 additional points.

Despite the fact that state officials have changed aspects of the CCRPI formula each year since its inception, DCSS schools continue to close the gap with the state average.

“The fact that we’ve been able to help close the gap with the state average despite some of our challenges is encouraging, however, we are by no means satisfied with these results and will continue to work with our teachers, principals and staff to make sure that we are doing everything we can to provide the best opportunities for our students,” Dr. Ufot Inyang, associate superintendent for Academic Services, said.

At the elementary level, schools have closed the gap from 15.2 points in 2012 to 10.7 points for SY2016. Three schools; International Studies, Lake Park and Lincoln; are above the state average. Four of our elementary schools increased their CCRPI scores from last year: Alice Coachman, International Studies, MLK Jr., and Morningside. International Studies had our biggest gain with 9.6 points and becomes the system’s top performing elementary school, followed by Morningside with 5.5 points.

For SY2016, four of five middle schools improved, bringing their average score 1.5 points from the state average. Those four were  Albany Middle (5.8 points), Radium Springs Middle (11.3 points), Robert Cross (2.7 points), and Southside (1.8 points).  Robert Cross remains the top middle school in the system with a score well above the state average. While the state average fell at the middle school level 0.2 points, DCSS middle schools outpaced the state average, rising by a combined average of 6.9 points.

At the high school level the district has closed the gap between the district and state from 17.2 points to 14.4 points.  Monroe Comprehensive High School continues to show strong growth. From last year to this year, MCHS demonstrated a 5.9-point growth giving them an overall growth of 16 points from 2012. For the first time since the CCRPI was introduced, Monroe has become the system’s top performing high school followed by Albany High School, Westover Comprehensive High School and Dougherty Comprehensive High School.

In an effort to continue improvement, the DCSS Academic Services Department has developed a plan of action for the SY2017 that includes additional teacher training through a school-based push-in model with an emphasis for elementary teachers on foundational math skills; social studies throughout the district; support for new teachers; literacy across content areas; and, in high school, a focus on narrative writing for English Language Arts.

The system also plans to create a system-wide literacy plan to help improve reading and writing skills in students across the board. This includes a focus on pushing literacy in content areas not typically associated with the area, like science and math.