How Columbus, Macon and other cities compare on Georgia state tests during COVID-19
Georgia education officials say valid comparisons between the state’s 2020-21 standardized test scores can’t be made with previous years because the coronavirus pandemic disrupted instruction and learning too much.
But dealing with the same tough circumstances, how did school districts with similar sizes and demographics perform?
The Ledger-Enquirer sought that answer as it analyzed the Georgia Milestones Assessment System results for the school districts serving the state’s second-tier cities of Columbus (Muscogee County), Macon (Bibb County), Augusta (Richmond County) and Savannah (Chatham County). Here’s what we found:
Muscogee compares most favorably, having the highest score in this group on 18 of the 26 subject tests in grades 3-12, tying with Chatham for first place on one and ranking second on the other seven.
Chatham has the highest score on seven tests, tied with Muscogee for first place on one, ranked second on 16 and third on two.
Richmond is ranked second twice, third 19 times and last five times.
Bibb is ranked third five times and last 21 times.
Muscogee’s score in high school physical science is the only one in this group to surpass the state average.
The Georgia Department of Education canceled these tests in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so education officials caution against comparing the 2021 results to 2019.
In fact, the GaDOE told school districts they shouldn’t require students taking online-only classes to come into the school building solely to take the state tests. So the percentage of enrolled students taking these tests varied greatly statewide, from a high of 79% in third grade to a low of 55% in high school on average, according to the GaDOE data.
GEORGIA MILESTONES 2020-21 TEST SCORES
The numbers listed for each subject are the passing rate, meaning the percentage of tested students who scored at or above grade level, also called proficient learner or distinguished learner.
Note: Not every grade has a Georgia Milestones test in each subject.
THIRD GRADE
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- Bibb 80
- State 79
- Muscogee 77
- Richmond 74
- Chatham 47
Reading
- State 61.6
- Muscogee 51.8
- Chatham 47.8
- Richmond 40.7
- Bibb 36.3
English language arts
- State 36.1
- Muscogee 28
- Chatham 22.7
- Richmond 17.3
- Bibb 13.4
Math
- State 38.4
- Muscogee 23.9
- Chatham 19.1
- Richmond 15.3
- Bibb 9.5
FOURTH GRADE
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 78
- Bibb 76
- Muscogee 72
- Richmond 70
- Chatham 45
Reading
- State 58.7
- Muscogee 52.8
- Chatham 50.1
- Richmond 38.2
- Bibb 37.9
English language arts
- State 36.7
- Muscogee 26.3
- Chatham 25.7
- Bibb 16.5
- Richmond 16.3
Math
- State 43
- Chatham 25.7
- Muscogee 25.2
- Richmond 18.1
- Bibb 17.1
FIFTH GRADE
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 77
- Bibb 75
- Muscogee 71
- Richmond 69
- Chatham 43
Reading
- State 68.1
- Muscogee 62
- Chatham 54.5
- Richmond 47.5
- Bibb 46.8
English language arts
- State 39.4
- Muscogee 29.9
- Chatham 24
- Bibb 18.6
- Richmond 16.4
Math
- State 34.7
- Muscogee 19.8
- Chatham 14.9
- Richmond 8.5
- Bibb 7.9
Science
- State 38.5
- Muscogee 29.8
- Chatham 19.8
- Bibb 17.1
- Richmond 12.6
SIXTH GRADE
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 69
- Bibb 66
- Richmond 61
- Muscogee 58
- Chatham 30
Reading
- State 58.3
- Chatham 47.1
- Muscogee 46.9
- Richmond 39.8
- Bibb 34.3
English language arts
- State 41.9
- Chatham 30.5
- Muscogee 30.5
- Richmond 21.3
- Bibb 18
Math
- State 30.4
- Chatham 18
- Muscogee 15.3
- Richmond 8.5
- Bibb 7.3
SEVENTH GRADE
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 65
- Bibb 57
- Richmond 57
- Muscogee 52
- Chatham 21
Reading
- State 66.6
- Chatham 57.9
- Muscogee 55.2
- Richmond 50.7
- Bibb 42.9
English language arts
- State 39.3
- Muscogee 29.7
- Chatham 29.2
- Richmond 23.6
- Bibb 17.4
Math
- State 36.3
- Chatham 24.8
- Muscogee 21.6
- Richmond 15.3
- Bibb 8.9
EIGHTH GRADE
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 61
- Bibb 55
- Richmond 55
- Muscogee 47
- Chatham 23
Reading
- State 67.8
- Muscogee 57.5
- Richmond 52.4
- Chatham 51.2
- Bibb 50.9
English language arts
- State 41.4
- Muscogee 33.5
- Richmond 27.2
- Chatham 22.6
- Bibb 22.3
Math
- State 31.8
- Muscogee 19.9
- Chatham 13.8
- Bibb 8.1
- Richmond 7.1
Science
- State 34.6
- Muscogee 24
- Chatham 14.1
- Bibb 11.8
- Richmond 11.4
Social studies
- State 34.7
- Muscogee 25.7
- Chatham 13.8
- Richmond 13.6
- Bibb 10.2
HIGH SCHOOL
AMERICAN LITERATURE & COMPOSITION
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 58
- Chatham 52
- Richmond 49
- Muscogee 36
- Bibb 28
Passing rate
- State 29.8
- Chatham 25.6
- Muscogee 23
- Richmond 17.5
- Bibb 4.7
ALGEBRA I
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 60
- Richmond 52
- Muscogee 48
- Bibb 37
- Chatham 37
Passing rate
- State 30.2
- Muscogee 18.4
- Chatham 14.4
- Richmond 6.4
- Bibb 5.2
BIOLOGY
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 59
- Chatham 54
- Richmond 47
- Muscogee 44
- Bibb 31
Passing rate
- State 40.7
- Muscogee 34.3
- Chatham 29.7
- Richmond 20.2
- Bibb 15.4
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- Bibb 64
- State 62
- Richmond 58
- Muscogee 54
- Chatham 17
Passing rate
- Muscogee 55.3
- State 52.8
- Chatham 46.7
- Richmond 37.1
- Bibb 36.7
U.S. HISTORY
Percentage of enrolled students tested
- State 55
- Chatham 53
- Richmond 44
- Muscogee 31
- Bibb 27
Passing rate
- State 29.6
- Chatham 21.2
- Muscogee 16.2
- Richmond 8.5
- Bibb 6.9
