Memorandum from Mary Kay Murphy
Mary Kay Murphy, Ph.D. District 3  School Board Member marykaymurphy@aol.com

February 11, 2006

Writing Excellence in District III

   Parents in the Duluth and Norcross clusters ask me frequently if our students are getting a good education in our public schools in Gwinnett County .  

     I always appreciate the question because I am proud of the excellent work that our teachers, principals, and others do in the classroom and I am eager to spread the good news.

     One very important measure of excellence in education is our students’ ability to write clearly, concisely, and coherently.  

     For many years, Norcross High School and Duluth High School have kept records of the scores of their junior students who must pass the high school writing test.  

     Of those at Norcross High School in 1994-95, 90% passed the test on their first try.    Eleven years later, in 2005-06, the total of 97% of Norcross High School juniors who were first time test takers passed the writing examination.

     At Duluth High School , in 1994-95, 96% of the first-time writing test takers in the junior year passed.   In 2005-06, a total of 99% of the first-time junior test takers passed.

     What do these scores tell us about public education in District III?

     First, these scores tell us that the elementary and middle schools in the Norcross Cluster and in the Duluth Cluster are providing excellent preparation for students as they develop writing skills in subjects that span the curriculum.   Included are student writing skills in language arts, science, social studies, and mathematics.

     Elementary schools in the Norcross Cluster include the following: Beaver Ridge Elementary, Norcross Elementary, Peachtree Elementary, Stripling Elementary, and Simpson Elementary.   Middle schools in the Norcross Cluster include Pinckneyville and Summerour.  

     In the Duluth Cluster, elementary schools include B.B. Harris, Berkeley Lake , Chattahoochee , and Chesney, while the middle schools include Duluth Middle and Hull Middle.  

     These writing scores also tell us that Duluth High School and Norcross High School are provided strong and sound preparation for ninth and tenth grade students in developing writing skills in a range of subjects in the high school curriculum.

     According to Dr. Cindy Loe, associate superintendent for Organizational Advancement and former Principal of Pinckneyville Middle School, “Gwinnett students continue to achieve a high measure of success on the junior year writing exam because of the strong focus on literacy in our language arts program and our schools’ emphasis on writing across the curriculum—writing in all subjects, not just language arts.  

     “Gwinnett students have experience writing about everything from math concept and science experiments to political movements and literature.   As a result, they are well prepared for writing assessments and for the writing that is expected in postsecondary and workplace settings.”

     In 2005-06, the passing rate for juniors who were first-time writing test takers was 98%, which is three points higher than the state of Georgia ’s 95% average and two points above the metro-Atlanta passing rate of 96%.   Scores in 2005-06 set an all-time high passing rate in Gwinnett.

     Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks noted, “We have more students than ever before in our public schools in Gwinnett County .   They come from more diverse backgrounds than ever before.   And their achievement on the writing portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test is higher than ever before.   This is testimony to the fine education offered in Gwinnett Schools.”  

     Students throughout Georgia must pass the writing assessment, along with four subtests in core academic subjects, in order to earn a Georgia high school diploma.   The subtests—in the subjects of language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science—are administered to eleventh graders each spring.

     Students who do not achieve a passing score in the first administration of the state writing test will have several opportunities to retake the test before their class graduates.   A school-by-school breakdown shows that every traditional Gwinnett high school achieved passing percentages in the mid-to high 90s.

     We are indeed proud of the juniors at Duluth High School and at Norcross High School who performed so well on the writing test in their junior year.   Because writing is such a key component of success in college and workforce experiences, it is essential that our students be well versed, knowledgeable, and proficient in their ability to write in all subjects of the curriculum.

     Later this spring, the Scholastic Assessment Test scores will be released.   This is the first year that students taking the SAT were required to write an essay as part of their assessment for readiness to enter college and university study.  

     We are confident that our students in Gwinnett County public schools will be well prepared for success on these writing measures because of their strong preparation in language arts, in writing in all subjects, and in literacy emphasis throughout elementary, middle, and high school.  

     As soon as we have access to those first-ever SAT scores on the writing exams, we look forward to sharing them with our community.

   As the District III School Board member, I thank the dedicated teachers, staff, principals, parents, and community volunteers who have worked so diligently to ensure that our students are prepared for excellence in written expression.  

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