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Barrow County review: state Georgia Milestones show gains and mixed subject growth, district officials say
Summary
District assessment leaders reviewed Georgia Milestones results, reporting gains in ELA proficiency and student growth percentiles that in some areas exceed state averages, while noting changes tied to new math standards and a forthcoming change to which high‑school ELA course is tested.
Barrow County officials presented state Georgia Milestones results to the board on Aug. 26 and described areas of improvement and ongoing changes in testing that affect year‑to‑year comparisons.
Director of Assessment Miss Mitcham and data coordinator Beth Mitchum summarized results after the state released full data. Miss Mitcham said the district uses multiple measures throughout the year; Georgia Milestones are one summative measure required by the state. She explained achievement levels (1–4) and that a score of 3 is generally considered proficient.
The district reported gains in English language arts for grades 3–8: Miss Mitcham said the district moved above the state average in the “reading at or above grade level” indicator this year. She highlighted that fifth‑ and eighth‑grade reading results were above the state average, while noting that third grade is the first year most students see the Milestones assessment and comparability should be interpreted cautiously.
Officials said math gains were observed following new math standards and that the district showed progress in proficiency over recent years. For high school End‑of‑Course (EOC) tests, district staff noted that Georgia is changing which ELA course is the tested course in high school — shifting from American Literature (11th grade) to a tenth‑grade Literature and Composition II course — and that scale changes may delay direct year‑to‑year comparisons for some measures.
Miss Mitcham described student growth percentile measures that compare each student to academically similar peers across the state; the district reported higher shares of students demonstrating “high growth” in ELA compared with the state. In math, growth was more mixed by grade level but included grade bands demonstrating elevated growth.
District leaders noted the use of milestone and other assessment data by teachers for instructional planning and that state reporting on high‑school ELA will continue to adjust after course changes. No board action was required; staff provided links and encouraged parents to review individual student reports on the parent portal.
