Georgia Milestones 2023-24 results released, RCPS students continue to show improvement

Conyers, Ga. – The Georgia Department of Education recently released the 2023-2024 Georgia Milestones assessment results. Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) students continued to show improvement in many areas, including, most importantly, in the critical area of reading. RCPS increased in the percentage of students reading on or above grade level in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 over the previous year. Reading in grades 4 and 8 slightly dipped by 2 percentage points and reading in American Literature by 3 percentage points. RCPS exceeded the state in 8th grade students reading on or above grade level, 8th grade English Language Arts (ELA) in the Developing & Above level, and 8th grade Physical Science in both the Proficient & Above and Developing & Above levels.

The state’s release included 13 total assessments, leaving out math assessments which were updated to align with the new K-12 Mathematics Standards implemented during the 2023-24 school year. The state plans to release the math Milestones scores later this fall.

“I applaud our gains in achievement on the 2024 Georgia Milestones Assessments, and I commend our teachers, administrators, support personnel, and our students and their families for their collective commitment to continuous improvement,” said Superintendent Dr. Terry Oatts. “Our students’ gains reflect our steadfast commitment to continuous improvement which is the centerpiece of our district’s current Five-Year Strategic Plan. Our increased literacy achievement validates our laser focus on birth-to-12th grade literacy, which includes specific assessment and instructional strategies that are designed to enhance literacy acquisition. Notwithstanding our initial gains, we anticipate even greater gains once retest results are factored in for those retest-eligible students.”

Details on 2023-2024 Georgia Milestones Scores  

The percentage of students achieving the Proficient Learner & Above level increased on 9 of 13 End of Grade (EOG) and End of Course (EOC) assessments. It is important to note that most of the decreases in the combined Proficient and Developing & Above levels were 1 percentage point or less.

Comparison of 2022-23 to 2023-24   

EOG:
Proficient Learner & Above  
increased 6,
same 0,
decreased 4.
Developing Learner & Above
increased 5,
same 0,
decreased 5.

EOC:
Proficient Learner & Above
increased 3,
same 0,
decreased 0.
Developing Learner & Above
increased 1,
same 0,
decreased 2.

Combined EOG and EOC:
Proficient Learner & Above
increased 9,
same 0,
decreased 4.
Developing Learner & Above
increased 6,
same 0,
decreased 7.


Continued Focus on Literacy

Most of the RCPS gains in the 2023-2024 Georgia Milestones scores occurred in English Language Arts in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6, while grades 7 and 8 increased in the Proficient Learner & Above level but slightly decreased in the Developing Learner & Above level.  Milestones scores for students in 8th grade physical science (for high school credit) rose slightly with 93.4% achieving in the Developing, Proficient, and Distinguished levels, which is well above the state average. At the high school level, American Literature & Composition rose 4.5 percentage points in the Proficient Learner & Above level, while Biology and U.S. History rose within 1 percentage point. U.S. History also rose 3.8 percentage points in the Developing Learner & Above level.

Again, RCPS increased in the percent of students reading on or above grade level in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7, while reading slightly decreased in grades 4 and 8 by 2 points and reading in American Literature by 3 points.

RCPS has been proactive in both leveraging existing and implementing new initiatives to ensure that our schools have the resources they need to improve literacy from birth to 12th grade. Some of these include:

•    Literacy Support Resources:  

o    Established the position of Coordinator of Literacy Support to ensure district-wide consistency of literacy strategies and execution
o    Afforded numerous teachers a wide range of literacy-specific endorsements such as Dyslexia, MTSS, and Reading Endorsements
o    Centralized supervision and support for our Early Intervention Program (EIP) by way of the Coordinator of Literacy Support
o    Ensured optimal alignment of literacy resources with the new literacy legislation

•    L4GA Grant Initiatives:  

o    Books for families and classrooms
o    Training for parents
o    Pre-K tutors to promote kindergarten readiness
o    Literacy awareness events
o    Professional learning
o    Age-appropriate assessments  
o    Summer transition  

•    Tutor.com:  

o    Tutor.com provides 24/7, expert, one-on-one academic support and tutoring for learners in all grades K-12

 
About Georgia Milestones

Students take Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) tests in grades three through eight, and Georgia Milestones End of Course (EOC) tests in identified high school courses. The Georgia Milestones assessment system meets the federal requirement that states test students in math and ELA in grades 3-8 and once in high school, and in science once per grade band (3-5, 6-8, 9-12).

Georgia Milestones assesses student learning along four levels of achievement:

Beginning Learners do not yet demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students need substantial academic support to be prepared for the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness.

Developing Learners demonstrate partial proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified by Georgia’s content standards. The students need additional academic support to ensure success in the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness.

Proficient Learners demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students are prepared for the next grade level or course and are on track for college and career readiness.     

Distinguished Learners demonstrate advanced proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students are well prepared for the next grade level or course and are well prepared for college and career readiness.

To view all the Milestones results, please visit the Georgia Department of Education at www.gadoe.org.