The 2018 CCRPI scores have been released, and Liberty County School System’s RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) ranking has gone from 13 in 2017 to a rank of 7 in 2018. Liberty came in behind only Camden, Glynn, Effingham, Screven, Jeff Davis and Appling counties, all included within the First District RESA. 

The College and Career Ready Performance Index is a measure for schools based on how well schools are preparing students for the next educational level, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s website. The CCRPI includes five components scored on a scale of 0-100: achievement (content mastery), progress, closing gaps, readiness and graduation rates for high schools only. Each group makes up a certain percentage of each school’s score, with content mastery accounting for 35 percent of all scores, Crane continued. 

Content mastery addresses whether students are achieving at the level necessary to be prepared for the next grade, college or career. This component includes achievement scores in ELA (English language arts), mathematics, science, and social studies, according to GADOE.

Progress measures growth students demonstrate in ELA and mathematics. Closing gaps is the expectation that students and subgroups make improvements in their achievement rates, GADOE said. Readiness measures whether students participate in activities that prepare them and demonstrate readiness for the next level. 

The graduation rate, exclusive only to the high schools, measures whether students are graduating from high school with a regular diploma in four or five years, according to GADOE.

This year’s redesigned CCRPI utilizes a new target structure in which improvement or maintenance of high achievement levels is expected, according to a report by Chief Academic Officer Patti Crane. The goal of the new structure is to incentivize continuous, sustainable improvement across all schools.

LCSS’s overall CCRPI increased by more than 3 points, moving from a 72 in 2017 to a 75.3 in 2018. Six of seven elementary schools, and two of three middle schools showed an increase in overall CCRPI scores. However, one elementary, one middle school and both high schools declined slightly, Crane said.

“That’s where our focus will be,” Crane said. “To work with the middle school and both high schools to improve the scores for next time.”

The overall district score of 75.3 was just shy of the state’s score of 76.6. LCSS elementary schools exceeded the state score by nearly two points, Crane said.

Frank Long Elementary School saw the biggest improvement out of all schools in the district, moving from a score of 56.4 to a 74, a 17.6 point increase.

“Our teachers work so hard,” Perry said. “The teachers, students and parents all work together and make this work.”

Both Bradwell Institute and Liberty County High School saw decreases of 8.9 and 7.2 points respectively. The high schools will be the focus point of the upcoming year to improve and address deficiencies.

“We’re pleased with the progress that we’ve made,” Perry said. “We still have a long way to go, but we do love to see that we’ve beat a lot of our neighbors.”

As well as an improved CCRPI score, the district’s schools are received four or five star ratings for school climate, which is calculated through attendance records, discipline records, and survey completed by students, faculty and staff, and parents.

“We’ve taken all of our students and moved them forward,” Crane said. “Hard work pays off.”