Local Students Improve on Eighth-Grade Writing Test

Results from the eighth-grade writing test are in, and local students are outperforming those statewide, according to a press release issued by Barrow County Schools.

Overall, 90 percent of eighth-graders in Barrow County met or exceeded standards on the assessment, which was administered in January — an increase of 3 percent from 2010, when 87 percent of students met standards on the same test.

Statewide, 83 percent of eighth-graders met or exceeded standards.

The writing assessment consists of an evaluation of each student’s response to an assigned writing prompt.  

Winder-Barrow Middle School saw the most significant improvement on the test with the percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards increasing by 9 percent — the school posted the strongest scores system-wide.

“The roar of cheers from the eighth grade classrooms when the scores were announced is unforgettable,” Jennifer Wood, principal of Winder-Barrow Middle, stated in the release. “Our students and teachers were thrilled that the scores reflect all the dedication and hard work that they put into improving their writing this year.”

Barrow County students also exceeded the average performance of counties within the Northeast Georgia Regional Support Agency, which saw a combined 86 percent pass rate. Northeast Georgia RESA includes Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton counties, as well as Jefferson City, Social Circle City and Commerce City school districts.

Improving student performance on the writing test became a top priority for Barrow County Schools after students failed to meet system-wide expectations set in 2009. Schools administered frequent mock writing assessments, sought input from writing consultants outside the system, trained teachers across all subjects and grade levels to evaluate writing and re-examined the process of teaching writing within the Georgia Performance Standards curriculum.

“It is exciting to see positive evidence through the results of the 8th Grade Writing Test of the targeted strategies for improvement being implemented at each of our schools,” Wanda Creel, superintendent of Barrow County Schools, stated in the release. “These results are the culmination of hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence from our students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community in a Pre-K through twelve environment. I am especially proud of the fact that our scores indicate that we are significantly above the state and regional averages.”