Stephens County 8th Graders Above State Average in Reading and Math

Georgia’s Department of Education reports the State’s students are improving in eighth grade reading and math, and holding steady in fourth grade math.

The results of the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) shows Georgia is above the national average in eighth-grade reading, and nearing the national average in the other three subject areas.

Georgia’s eighth-grade students recorded an average scale score of 281 in math, compared to a national average of 282. Georgia eighth graders’ average score in 2015 was 279.

In reading, Georgia’s eighth-grade students recorded an average scale score of 266, compared to a national average of 265. Georgia eight-graders’ average score in 2015 was 262.

Another annual assesment in reading and math for Georgia students in grades three through 8 is the Georgia Milestones Assessment.

Stephens County Middle School Principal Michael Shawler says 8th graders at his school scored well above the Georgia Milestone state average in both subjects.

“Our Georgia Milestone scores were above the state average in both math and ELA,” Shawler said. “We’re at a 517 mean score and the State was at a 509.  ELA scores were at 518 and the State scores were 515. So, in both math and ELA we were above the State mean.”

“ELA” stands for English Language Arts.

Shawler said middle school teachers have implemented several initiatives to help bring math and reading scores highers.

One he says is a program called, “Success Maker.”

“All it does is go in and fill in those gaps where kids are struggling,” he explained. “It can identify those gaps and try to fill in those holes so when those kids get into the regular classroom, they’re stronger. They don’t lag behind. Instead, they stay on top of the material.”

Shawler said they’ve also instituted a new course for students who continue to struggle with reading.

“And for any of our struggling readers, this just breaks it down into the basics. We’ve seen gains. We’ve been tracking those gains all year long, and we continue to see gains in those reading scores for those students,” he said.

Finally, Shawler said teachers meet weekly to go look at current test scores and the current curriculum and discuss areas where they can help students improve.

NAEP, or the “Nation’s Report Card,” is a nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas.

The test is administered every two years to a sample of fourth and eighth graders, from a sample of schools across each state.