Augusta-area schools with the best and worst Georgia Milestones scores

The Georgia Department of Education released the Milestones scores for the 2023-2024 school year last week.

The grading system looks at multiple subject areas and whether students are performing at the level they should be. According to a GDOE press release, overall scores increased or remained stable on 10 of the 13 assessments in English language arts, science and social studies. Georgia Superintendent Richard Woods praised the performance.

“I am proud of Georgia’s students and teachers for their continued hard work, which has resulted in consistent improvements in student achievement over the past several years,” Woods said. “As a state, we have invested in academic recovery and the support districts need to get all students on track for a successful future. There is certainly more work to do, but I am confident we are on the right path.”

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Georgia’s Milestones math scores won’t be available until later this fall as the assessments are updated to align with new K-12 math standards. Below is a closer look at some key subject areas, along with which Augusta-area schools performed best in the state and which were among the worst.

Reading

Third grade is considered a critical point for establishing proficient reading levels. Here are the schools that made the rankings higher 95th percentile in the number of students reading at or above their level:

CT Walker Magnet School (Richmond County)
Riverside Elementary (Columbia County)
North Columbia Elementary School (Columbia County)
River Ridge Elementary (Columbia County)
Greenbrier Elementary School (Columbia County)

Below are four schools in Columbia County that earned high scores high 90th percentile including Lewiston Elementary, Baker Place Elementary, Stevens Creek Elementary and Parkway Elementary.

Six schools in Richmond County scored in the low 10th percentile including Richmond Hill K-8, Jamestown Elementary, Wilkinson Gardens Elementary, Meadowbrook Elementary, Dorothy Hains Elementary and Hephzibah Elementary.

Four other schools in Richmond County scored in the bottom 5th percentile including Barton Chapel Elementary, Wheeless Road Elementary, Glenn Hills Elementary and WS Hornsby Elementary.

Social Studies

Milestones begin assessing social studies skills in eighth grade. Here are the schools whose average scores in the higher 95th percentile:

Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School (Richmond County)
Greenbrier Middle (Columbia County)
Stallings Island Central (Columbia County)
Evans Middle (Columbia County)

Besides these, only one local school scored on the high 90th percentile: AR Johnson Magnet School in Richmond County.

Two schools in Richmond County scored in the low 10th percentile: Hephzibah Middle and Belair K-8.

Seven schools in Richmond County scored equally well lower 5th percentile: Langford Middle, Pine Hill Middle, WS Hornsby Middle, Glenn Hills Middle, Spirit Creek Middle, Richmond Hill K-8 and Murphey Middle.

Milestones in Georgia: Best and Worst School Districts for Reading, Science, and Social Studies

Science

Milestones also begin assessing science skills in eighth grade. While several scored at or above the state average, none scored in the high 90th percentile or higher.

However, five schools in Richmond County were in the top five of the rankings. low 10th percentile: Hephzibah Middle, Tutt Middle, Belair K-8, Pine Hill Middle and Spirit Creek Middle.

Five more Richmond County schools make the rankings lower 5th percentile: WS Hornsby Middle, Murphey Middle, Glenn Hills Middle, Richmond Hill K-8 and Langford Middle.

The above rankings are based on approximate data from GDOE. To access the raw data and view the scores for the other academic subjects assessed, visit gadoe.org.