VALDOSTA— Valdosta City Schools sees gains in Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, Readiness, and School Climate. Full results are availabe at http://ccrpi.gadoe.org
The 2019 and 2018 CCRPI scores are directly comparable. Scores from prior years are not comparable because the state made improvements to the CCRPI calculation as part of its State ESSA Plan. The 2018 CCRPI was the first to use the new calculation.
The College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores were released on October 25, 2019 by the Georgia Department of Education. The CCRPI is Georgia’s statewide accountability measurement as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“The gains achieved are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers, administrators, students, and parents,” said VCS superintendent, Dr. William Todd Cason. “We realize that we have much more work to do in order to meet the high expectations we have set for the district, but I am confident that with all stakeholders working together with us, we will continue moving the needle in the right direction.”
The overall district score on the 2019 CCRPI was 69.7, with scores of 66.0 for elementary schools, 75.6 for middle schools, and 71.6 for the high school.
| District | 2018 | 2019 |
| Elementary Schools | 62.1 | 66.0 |
| Middle Schools | 60.8 | 75.6 |
| High Schools | 72.4 | 71.6 |
| All Schools | 64.3 | 69.7 |
Notable gains include:
- The overall district CCRPI score increased 5.4 points.
- The district middle school score exceeds the state average by 3.5 points.
- Five out of eight schools increased their CCRPI scores.
- Three schools increased their CCRPI scores by more than 10 points:
- Valdosta Middle School – 16.6 points
- S. L. Mason Elementary – 12.4 points
- J. L. Newbern Middle School – 11.2 points
- Five out of eight schools met the Strategic Waivers School Systems (SWSS) targets.
Highlights within the five components of the CCRPI include:
1. Content Mastery Component
- Improved English Language Arts Content Mastery at all levels, with gains of 4.82 points for elementary schools, 10.55 points for middle schools, and 8.30 points for the high school.
- Improved Mathematics Content Mastery at the middle school level with gains of 6.09.
- Improved Science Content Mastery at the middle and high school levels with gains of 12.76 points for middle schools, and 4.65 points for the high school.
- Improved Social Studies Mastery at the middle school level with gains of 6.45 points.
2. Progress Component
- Improved Progress at all levels, with gains of 8.9 points for elementary schools, 18.0 points for middle schools, and 1.5 points for the high school.
- Four schools increased the progress component by more than 10 points:
- Valdosta Middle School – 20.9 points
- Newbern Middle School – 17.7 points
- S. L. Mason Elementary – 15.7 points
- Sallas Mahone Elementary – 11.6 points
3. Closing Gaps Component
- Improved Closing Gaps at the middle school level with a gain of 37.5 points to achieve 100 points for the category.
- At the elementary level, met improvement targets in English Language Arts for all subgroup with Economically Disadvantaged and English Learners Subgroups meeting 6% improvement targets, and Students with Disabilities Subgroup meeting 6% improvement targets in English Language Arts and Social Studies.
- At the middle school level, met improvement targets in English Language Arts and Science for all subgroups, with Economically Disadvantaged Subgroup meeting 6% improvement targets in all content areas, and Students with Disabilities Subgroup meeting 6% improvement targets in Math and Science.
- At the high school level, met improvement targets in all content areas for Students with Disabilities Subgroup, with English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science meeting 6% improvement targets, and Economically Disadvantaged Subgroup meeting 6% improvement targets in English Language Arts and Science.
4. Readiness Component
- Improved Readiness to above 70 points at all levels, with scores of 74.5 for elementary schools, 75 for middle schools, and 71.7 for the high school.
- Improved literacy at all levels with gains of 4.6 points for elementary schools, 7.42 points for middle schools, and 9.51 points for the high school.
- Improved Accelerated Enrollment at the high school level with a gain of 9.45 points to achieve 100 points for the category.
5. Graduation Rate Component (High School Only)
- The four-year graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.9 points.
- The five-year graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5.3 points
- The overall graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5 points.
- The four-year graduation rate for SWD increased by 4.2 points.
Instructional Changes that Led to Improvements
During the 2018-2019 school year, Valdosta City Schools focused on increasing literacy strategies, ensuring standards-based instruction, and employing more rigorous, standards-aligned assessments. Examples include:
- Focusing on Standards-Based Instruction and Achievement Level Descriptors
- Increased assessment rigor through Illuminate assessments
- Integration of literacy across all content areas
- Using the 5 E’s Instructional Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate)
- Writing with claim, evidence, and reasoning (CER)
- Focusing on learning targets
- Focusing on hands-on instruction
About the CCRPI
Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) – the replacement for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) passed in 2015 – states are required to have a “statewide accountability system” that provides information on how well schools are performing. The CCRPI is Georgia’s accountability system.
Similar accountability systems were required under the No Child Left Behind waivers many states operated under before ESSA was passed, but ESSA gives states more authority over the process.
After ESSA was signed into law, the Georgia Department of Education spent two years gathering input from the public and working with a committee of educators and other stakeholders to redesign the CCRPI. Parents, educators, members of the business community, and others said they wanted a CCRPI that reflected the opportunities schools offered students – from fine arts to career education – rather than a focus strictly on standardized test scores.
The CCRPI was refined based on this feedback, and 2019 is the second year scores from the redesigned CCRPI have been released.
School Climate Star Rating
As part of the CCRPI reports, the Georgia Department of Education released the 2019 School Climate Star Ratings for local schools. All Valdosta City Schools received school climate ratings above 70, with Sallas Mahone Elementary earning a 100. The District’s 2019 school star ratings include two 5 star schools, four 4 star schools, one 3 star school, and one 2 star school. This rating is provided as an informational tool for schools, parents, and communities. While it is reported alongside the CCRPI, it is not included in the calculation that produces school and district CCRPI scores.
School climate refers to the quality and character of school life – the “culture” of a school. A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and student learning, which are essential elements for academic success, career-skill improvement, and overall quality of life.
The School Climate Star Rating assesses the climate of a school – each school in Georgia receives a one- to five-star rating, with five stars representing an excellent school climate and one star representing a school climate most in need of improvement.
| School | 2018 Climate Rating | 2018 Stars | 2019 Climate Rating | 2019 Stars |
| J.L. Lomax | 88.90 | 3 Stars | 93.70 | 4 Stars |
| Pinevale Elementary | 92.50 | 4 Stars | 94.00 | 4 Stars |
| S.L. Mason Elementary School | 97.40 | 5 Stars | 97.60 | 5 Stars |
| Sallas Mahone Elementary | 91.90 | 4 Stars | 100.30 | 5 Stars |
| W.G. Nunn Elementary School | 96.60 | 5 Stars | 88.80 | 3 Stars |
| District (All Elementary Schools) | 93.46 | 4 Stars | 94.88 | 4 Stars |
| J.L. Newbern Middle School | 69.80 | 1 Star | 74.40 | 2 Stars |
| Valdosta Middle School | 83.20 | 3 Stars | 87.20 | 4 Stars |
| District (All Middle Schools) | 76.50 | 2 Stars | 80.80 | 3 Stars |
| Valdosta Highschool | 78.00 | 3 Stars | 85.40 | 4 Stars |
| District (All High Schools) | 78.00 | 3 Stars | 85.40 | 4 Stars |
