Schools
Cherokee's Improving Test Scores Mean More than Bigger Brains
Better test scores are a boon not only to students and teachers, but to real estate agents, government officials and local residents.
While the news that the Cherokee County School District (CCSD) has once again beaten the state average on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), the impact of the county's school system reaches far beyond the classroom.
The school district made gains across the district in the reading section of the tests, and every single school in the district saw an improvement in one or more grade levels and or subject areas.
The tests are given to students in third- through eighth-grade across the state.
A memo from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo to the Cherokee County School Board cites numerous examples of improvements made by the district. You may download the memo from this article.
Out of 3,009 third-graders taking the reading test, 97 percent passed on their first try. In 2012, the rate was 96 percent. Eighth-graders earned a 93 percent pass rate on their math test, compared to 89 percent last year.
Additionally, the percentage of CCSD who exceeded standards topped the state average by 13 points.
These achievements are even more remarkable considering the school district is still suffering from budget cuts and adapting to the changing demographics of the area.
"We are proud of how far we’ve come and are determined to retain this reputation for excellence," wrote Petruzielo.
School Board Chair Janet Read said she was also "very pleased" with the district's scores, adding it was "particularly impressive" due to the students having five fewer instructional days in the classroom.
"I also want to commend our teachers, who are required to cover the same material in less time, have fewer pre/post planning days and have dealt with increasing pay cuts (furlough days) for the last few years," she said. "They still continue to make teaching and learning their number one priority each and every day."
She added she was "very proud to serve as the Board Chair for a school district that cares about each one of its 39,000+ students and works to provide a top-notch education."
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Apart from improving the minds of our children, the county's quality public schools are a big selling point to local real estate agents.
"I sell homes to people who specifically buy in Cherokee County because of the schools," said Realtor Becky Babcock, who is a former member of the Cherokee County School Board. "People who are coming to Georgia from other states will do research on the best schools in the state and often choose Cherokee County."Babcock cites the county's schools as one of the top three reasons people decide to move to the area, along with home prices and the tax rate.
State Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Hickory Flat) added a strong school district was essential to Cherokee County's growth.
"For the last 15 or 20 years, we have had a strong school system," Hill said. "We as a country certainly have a long way to go as far as education is concerned, but Cherokee County's certainly a shining example of how it can be done."
Hill said that one of the reasons why Chattahoochee Technical College has two campuses in Cherokee — one in Canton and another in Woodstock — was because of the school district and its willingness to work hand-in-hand with the college.
Hill called the news of the CRCT scores a "win-win" for the county's students, and for the county's economy, which is only bolstered by strong schools.
For Cherokee Office of Economic Development President Misti Martin, local businesses can only benefit from working in a county that has a successful school district.
"Having a public school district with a strong record and the number one SAT scores in the state is a great selling point to companies considering our community," she said. "It gives them confidence in our current and future workforce."
Editor's note: this article was originally written by Patch Local Editor Justin Ove.
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