Polk School District

PRESS RELEASE: Polk School District is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) scores for all schools.

CCRPI was initially conceived by the Georgia Department of Education in 2012 to provide stakeholders with a more comprehensive view of achievement and growth in public schools across the state. It also sought to raise the level of College and Career readiness for Georgia students to be more comparable to other states. While CCRPI has changed nearly every year since its inception, and as such, a comparison between any two years should be considered carefully, it does allow for the direction of progress to be considered.

CCRPI is comprised of four categories: Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, and Readiness. An additional category, Graduation Rate, is measured at the high school level.

The first category, Content Mastery, considers how students perform on Georgia Milestones Assessments. Calculations for these areas are complex, with weighted averages of student scores considered for each of the four (4) levels of achievement on Georgia Milestones—Beginning (0 pts.), Developing (0.5 pts.), Proficient (1 pt..), and Distinguished (1.5 pts.).

For the Content Mastery area, Polk School District is proud to celebrate the following highlights:
● There was an increase in Content Mastery scores for eight (8) out of our ten (10) schools.
● Five of the six elementary schools and both middle schools experienced more growth than the Georgia state average (0.8 points of growth in elementary schools, 1.6 points of growth in middle schools).
● Youngs Grove Elementary increased nearly 10 points in Content Mastery from 2024 to 2025!
● Cherokee, Northside, Van Wert, and Youngs Grove Elementary Schools, as well as Cedartown High School, all achieved their highest content mastery scores ever!

The second category of CCRPI, Progress, measures students' individual growth by comparing their previous year’s Georgia Milestones test scores with those of students across the state who also scored similarly, and then analyzing how they performed against this group the following year. By measuring individual students' growth, Progress scores give districts a more accurate measure of the direction of students' learning than comparing Content Mastery scores alone. Additionally, a small percentage of the score considers the progress of language learning students from one year to the next toward English language proficiency.

For the Progress area, Polk School District is proud to celebrate the following highlights:
● Five of our elementary schools, both middle schools, and both high schools scored above 80 on this metric, indicating that the vast majority of students made greater progress compared to their peers.
● Cherokee and Van Wert Elementary schools achieved their highest progress scores ever, surpassing the state average, which declined for elementary schools between 2024 and 2025.

The third category of CCRPI, Closing Gaps, considers the yearly progress of subgroups of students, including those who are economically disadvantaged, as well as White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Multi-Racial groups, English-Language Learners, and Students with Disabilities. This measure is designed to help ensure that all groups within a school are growing and to identify any groups that may require additional support.

For the Closing Gaps area, Polk School District is proud to celebrate the following highlights:
● Cherokee and Youngs Grove elementary schools received a perfect 100 score in the Closing Gaps area, demonstrating growth in nearly every subgroup and subject, and far exceeding the Georgia State elementary school average score of 75.
● Northside Elementary also exceeded the State elementary school closing gaps score.

The fourth category of CCRPI, Readiness, considers the elements of school accountability that have been shown to impact students' future success. The measure includes reading comprehension, as measured by Lexile scores, school attendance, and success in fine arts, CTAE, foreign language, and Computer Science courses. At the high school level, this area also measures essential indicators of post-graduate success, such as high school completion of college-level courses (Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment), SAT, ACT, and ASVAB (military-readiness) scores, and earning an industry credential in a CTAE pathway.

For the Readiness area, Polk School District is proud to celebrate the following highlights:
● Northside, Van Wert, Westside, and Youngs Grove Elementary Schools, as well as Rockmart and Cedartown Middle Schools, all achieved their highest Readiness scores ever.
As previously announced, both Cedartown High School and Rockmart High School exceeded the State of Georgia Graduation Rate, and Polk School District achieved its highest graduation rate, the final element of CCRPI for high schools.

More information about CCRPI can be found on the Georgia Department of Education website

🎄✨ Join the Office of Exceptional Student Services for Our Community Wonderland Transition Fair! ✨🎄

📅 Date: December 1
🕚 Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍Polk County College and Career Academy HON Room, Cedartown Campus

This special event focuses on supporting students with IEPs and 504 Plans. Families are invited to explore the wonderful resources and career opportunities our community has to offer!

🌟 Discover exciting career pathways
🎓 Learn about post-secondary options
🤝 Connect with community supports for families
🎯 Enjoy games, prizes, and fun for everyone!

For more information, please contact Bethany Nevarez, Exceptional Student Services Parent Mentor, at bethany.nevarez@polk.k12.ga.us
.
Let’s come together to celebrate, learn, and build brighter futures! ❤️

🎉 Congratulations to Van Wert Elementary! 🎉

Polk School District is proud to recognize Van Wert Elementary School as the #1 Top School, the #1 Top Teacher School, and the #1 Top Parent School in the Let’s Read Georgia Contest! 📚

🏆 Top Overall Schools:
🥇 Van Wert Elementary – #1 in Georgia with 16,672 points
🥈 Northside Elementary – #2 in Georgia with 10,049 points
🥉 Youngs Grove Elementary – #3 in Georgia with 4,489 points

🌟 Other High-Performing Schools:
⭐ Eastside Elementary – #9 in Georgia with 1,614 points
⭐ Cherokee Elementary – #11 in Georgia with 1,133 points
⭐ Westside Elementary – #14 in Georgia with 499 points

🌟 Top Teacher Schools:
1️⃣ Van Wert Elementary
2️⃣ Northside Elementary

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Top Parent Schools:
1️⃣ Van Wert Elementary
3️⃣ Youngs Grove Elementary

🏅 Top District and County:
Polk County

This incredible accomplishment reflects the dedication and teamwork of our students, teachers, parents, and community. Polk School District is leading the way in promoting literacy and a love for reading across Georgia! 💙📖

See the standings at https://lrg.georgiaresa.org/campaign/ready-set-read?tab=standings

#letsreadgeorgia#psdproud

📢 Important Message for Parents & Guardians📢

We want to keep you informed and reassured as we begin another school year. A letter has been sent home regarding this year’s school safety drills. These include drills for fire, severe weather, intruders, and hazardous materials.

The purpose of these drills is to ensure that our students and staff know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency. We approach each drill with care, age-appropriate guidance, and a focus on creating a calm and safe learning environment.

Please take a moment to review the letter and talk with your child about the importance of these drills. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our school community safe!

PRESS RELEASE: 2024-2025 GEORGIA MILESTONES ASSESSMENT SCORES

The Georgia Department of Education has released the results of the Georgia Milestones Assessment from 2024-2025, and Polk School District is proud of the efforts of their teachers and students and of the gains that have been made in many areas. "We believe PSD students are capable of being as successful as their peers in our region, state, and country, and we are dedicated to ensuring that all students are ready for the path they choose after graduation. Our work to close the achievement gap, not only for each student but also for our district as a whole, is ongoing, and we are proud of the areas of success reflected in our test scores. We know we have more work to do. Still, we believe the academic focus on the science of reading in the early grades, the implementation of the Georgia math curriculum, and the addition of opportunities for high school students in Career and Technical (CTAE) programs and Advanced Placement will allow Polk students to shine in their future careers and as members of our community,” said Superintendent Mark Lumpkin.

Among the highlights of this year’s test results are:

1. Exceeded the State of Georgia in the percentage of students scoring above the beginning level (students who need significant support to be ready for the next grade):
4th Grade Math
7th Grade Math
8th Grade Math
High School Algebra
5th Grade Science
8th Grade Science

2. Improving from 2023-2024:
3rd Grade ELA
4th Grade ELA
6th Grade ELA
7th Grade ELA
High School American Literature
8th Grade Social Studies
High School US History

“While we celebrate these achievements, we understand there is still work to be done,” district Assessment and Accountability Specialist Holly Amerman explained. “These data points are merely one measure we use to guide the direction of our teaching and learning in Polk School District. For instance, in the 2024-2025 school year, we funded a district math and science coordinator to assist teachers in these subjects. These coordinators worked in classrooms, delivered professional learning, and worked side-by-side with teachers to ensure the instruction matched the expected level for the content and grade level. The number of areas in which we, for the first time since Covid, outscored the State of Georgia in math and science can, in part, be attributed to this intervention. This year, the program is being expanded to add a district ELA coordinator.”

These results are just one example of how Polk School District can use Georgia Milestones and other data sources to implement changes that allow our teachers to feel supported and our students to shine. We are excited about the possibilities for the 2025-2026 school year and look forward to future success.

About Georgia Milestones (from the GADOE)
Students take Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) tests in grades 3-8, 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, 6-9, 10-12).

Georgia Milestones assesses student learning along four levels of achievement: Beginning Learners, Developing Learners, Proficient Learners, and Distinguished Learners.


See the attached link for the GaDOE Press Release.


https://gadoe.org/press-releases/test-scores-continue-to-rise-with-abandonment-of-common-core-math/

🚌 MEET YOUR DRIVER AT OPEN HOUSE 🚌

If your student plans to ride a bus during the 2025-2026 school year, please plan to visit with a member of the transportation department at Open House:

🚌 Meet your driver
📋 Complete bus rider registration forms
📍 Get your pick-up/drop-off times & locations

Drivers and staff will be available during the following times at Open House on August 5, 2025:

Elementary Schools
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Middle Schools
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.