Oconee County Schools ranked No. 1 in the state in Content Mastery for elementary and middle schools in the 2024 College and Career Ready Performance Index released Friday by the Georgia Department of Education.

OCS stood No. 1 for county districts and No. 2 overall in Georgia in Content Mastery for high schools.

OCS achieved a milestone as the 12 schools combined for the district’s highest-ever CCRPI results.

“We are proud of the sustained progress reflected in the CCRPI scores, which highlights the hard work and dedication of our students, educators, and families,” Superintendent Jason Branch said. “These results demonstrate the commitment to academic excellence and the shared vision of preparing each student for a successful future.”

In Content Mastery, the elementary schools recorded an average of 99.8, the middle schools registered 98.1, and the high schools posted 97.3. The state averages were 67.8, 64.0, and 68.2, respectively. Content Mastery includes student scores on statewide assessments in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

In Readiness, OCS ranked No. 1 among county systems and No. 2 overall in Georgia for elementary (94.2) and middle (93.5) schools and No. 3 for counties and No. 5 overall in the state for high schools (88.6). Readiness includes literacy scores; student attendance; the percentage of students succeeding in “beyond the core” instruction; accelerated enrollment; pathway completion; and measures of college and career readiness.

The CCRPI no longer includes an overall 0-100 score for schools, districts, or the state. This change was first implemented in 2022 under an addendum received from the U.S. Department of Education and made permanent in 2023 in Georgia’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan. Each CCRPI component still has a 0-100 score.

Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), each U.S. state is required to have a statewide accountability system that complies with federal requirements, providing information on how well schools are performing. The CCRPI meets that requirement in Georgia and satisfies requirements for school accountability in state law.