48 DeKalb schools beat the odds last year

Stephen Green (left), the superintendent for Dekalb County schools. DeKalb County Schools had the fourth most Beating the Odds schools in the state. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL

Credit: Jonathan Phillips

Credit: Jonathan Phillips

Stephen Green (left), the superintendent for Dekalb County schools. DeKalb County Schools had the fourth most Beating the Odds schools in the state. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL

Fourty-eight DeKalb schools beat their predicted score on the College and Career Ready Performance Index last year, data released by the Georgia Department of Education shows.

The department uses CCRPI to rate schools and school districts on a 100-point scale using a variety of performance indicators. It also conducts “Beating the Odds” analyses to predict a score range for each school, taking into account school size, student mobility, demographics and other factors.

Statewide, more than 1,000 schools beat their state projected score. About 70 percent of these schools have poverty rates of at least 25 percent.

“We view these schools as major success stories,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods. “In fact, it’s difficult to fully express the magnitude of what they’ve achieved. Statistically, a high rate of poverty presents multiple barriers to achievement, but these schools are beating the odds and doing excellent work on behalf of Georgia students.”

DeKalb County Schools had the fourth highest number of Beating the Odds schools in Georgia. The district also had 13 schools that beat their projected score for the fifth consecutive year. DeKalb Superintendent R. Stephen Green said these schools indicate the district is on the right path.

“These results are a milestone, not a finish line,” he said. “ We will take what we have learned at these campuses and apply this knowledge across [the district].”

The average score for a DeKalb County school that beat its projected score was 77.9, which is five points above the state average.

Click here to see which DeKalb schools beat the odds.