Gaston sees increase in student proficiency and academic growth
Elementary schools experience highest academic gains; graduation rate is 85.6 percent
More schools in Gaston County are meeting or exceeding academic
growth expectations on the state testing and accountability program,
according to information released today by the North Carolina State Board of
Education. Overall student proficiency for Gaston County increased slightly
for the 2017-2018 academic year while the graduation rate for the Class of
2018 dipped to 85.6 percent after a record-high rate in 2017.
n Overall Student Proficiency
The district’s overall student proficiency rate increased slightly when
compared to the previous year. For the 2017-2018 school year, 56.0 percent
of students scored a Level III, IV, or V on the state tests. Students who
achieve a Level III, IV, or V score are performing at or above grade level
expectations.
The student proficiency rate for the 2016-2017 school year was 55.0.
Since the state implemented new testing standards in 2013-2014, Gaston’s
proficiency rate has gone up almost six points, increasing from 50.2 to 56.0.
Collectively, the most significant gains in student proficiency occurred
at the elementary school level with 18 schools seeing an increase when
compared to last year. Three elementary schools achieved double-digit gains:
Pleasant Ridge +13.0, Catawba Heights +10.9, and Carr +10.7. Other
elementary schools with significant gains include Hawks Nest +9.7, W.B.
Beam Intermediate +6.8, Chapel Grove +6.5, and North Belmont +6.3.
At the middle school level, York Chester (+10.0) and Southwest (+5.1)
had the most significant gains in overall student proficiency. Ashbrook (+4.7)
and South Point (+4.6) had the highest gains in student proficiency among
the high schools.
Students in grades 3-8 take end-of-grade tests in reading and math, and
fifth and eighth graders also take an end-of-grade science test. High school
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students take end-of-
course tests in Math I,
Biology, and English II.
The district had its most
significant subject area
improvements in eighth
grade math (+7.0) and
fifth grade math (+4.7).
n Academic
Growth
For the 2017-2018
school year, Gaston
County had 87.8
percent of its schools
(43 of 49) to meet or
exceed academic growth
expectations. The
previous year, 41 of 49
schools met or exceeded
growth expectations. Academic growth indicates whether students achieve a
year’s worth of academic progress for a year’s worth of instruction. Growth
is reported in one of three ways: Exceeded Growth, Met Growth, or Did Not
Meet Growth.
n School Performance Grades
The state uses the testing and accountability data to determine the
School Performance Grades, which were assigned for the first time in 2014.
A school’s performance letter grade is determined using a formula based
only on two factors: student achievement (80 percent) and student academic
growth (20 percent). For the 2017-2018 school year, Gaston County had two
schools to earn an A grade, 13 schools to earn a B grade, and 28 schools to
earn a C grade.
The School Performance Grade should not be interpreted as a
comprehensive evaluation that determines the quality of a school. It is
intended to make it easier for the public to understand how a school is
performing. However, only select criteria are used to determine the grade.
Factors such as school size, diverse student population, socioeconomics,
teacher experience, student learning obstacles, special programs,
and parental and community involvement have an effect on a school’s
performance, but are not considered in the grade.
n Graduation Rate
After experiencing a record-high graduation rate of 88.3 percent in 2017,
the graduation rate for the Class of 2018 dipped to 85.6 percent. Despite
the decrease, six high schools – Ashbrook, Cherryville, Stuart W. Cramer,
Forestview, Gaston Early College, and Highland – achieved a graduation rate
that exceeds 90 percent.
Called the four-year cohort graduation rate, it reflects the percentage
of students who entered the ninth grade in 2014-2015 and graduated four
years later in June 2018. When the state first calculated the four-year
cohort graduation rate in 2005-2006, Gaston County’s rate was a mere 68.1
percent.
This year, the state changed how it calculates the graduation rate, which
resulted in lower rates for schools. Previously, the rate was based primarily
on the initial number of ninth grade students who created the cohort.
Students who enrolled in a school, but were not part of the school’s initial
cohort, were included in the calculation only if they were on schedule to
graduate in four years. Now, all students, regardless of circumstances, are
included in a school’s cohort.
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