Cook schools show test score improvements

During the Monday, June 12, 2023, regular session, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tim Dixon shared with Cook County Board of Education members the current Georgia Milestones test growth categories.

Each school showed increases in test scores from 2022 to 2023. (Please see related graph).

Dr. Dixon noted that the scores are based on content mastery; the schools haven’t received the improvement score yet.

“These are really good numbers,” Dr. Dixon said. “I’m super proud of the teachers and staff.”

Dr. Dixon did note that  there are areas of opportunities for growth.

From 2022 to 2023, CHS ELA scores dropped from 60.8 to 54.7; CMS Social Studies, from 56 to 53; and CMS Science, from 45 to 40.

Dr. Dixon said the score increases in some content areas are better than the state-mandated 3 percent minimum increase. “We have surpassed some of the numbers that some of these groups had in 2019 [prior to COVID’s impact on education],” he noted. “That was a really good year for us on test scores.”

“We hope to close the gap and be very competitive with other schools in our RESA district on test scores,” Dr. Dixon said. “We want to be the best in our RESA district and in the State in our classification.”

Of course, he added, test scores are not the only measure of success for a school. For example, he referred to the level of Pathway Completers at Cook High School.

The school system won’t receive the overall index or overarching score until October or November.