School-by-school results have been released for the Criterion Referenced Competency Test and show that elementary and middle school students in the NCSS are continuing to excel, with four categories topping the state's numbers, and four categories meeting the state's numbers. For three local schools, the pass rate in certain categories is at 100 percent.

Of the 270 testing categories, students increased in 167 opportunities and matched the 2010-11 school years' numbers in another 15.

East Newton Elementary
Students increased in 10 of 15 testing categories and matched the 2010-11 scores in three categories in the 2011-12 school year. The school surpassed the state in fourth and fifth grade in all testing categories and third graders surpassed the state in language arts, science and social studies and matched the state's numbers in math.

Additionally, the school's fourth grade students had 100 percent pass rate in language arts.

Fairview Elementary
Fairview Elementary was zoned as a theme school in the 2010-11 school year, so there are no numbers to compare it to for the 2011-12 CRCT scores. However, students matched the state average in fourth-grade reading, but scored below the state in all other categories.

Flint Hill Elementary
Much like Fairview, Flint Hill Elementary has no CRCT scores to compare the 2011-12 numbers to, since the school opened in 11-12. However, the school did best the state's scores in fourth-grade reading and in language arts for both fourth and fifth grades. Fifth graders matched the state in reading and social studies scores.

Heard-Mixon Elementary
Another school with an impressive pass rate, third-grade students had 100 percent pass rate on both reading and language arts.

Students also increased on 11 of 15 tests and matched scores in one test. The school topped the state's numbers in all categories but fifth-grade math and science, on which they did match the state's scores.

Live Oak Elementary
Students here increased scores in 14 of 15 categories and bested the state on several tests. Fourth graders fared better than the state in all categories and fifth graders topped the state in reading, language arts and math. Third graders equaled the state in language arts.

Livingston Elementary
The school surpassed the state on all three grade levels (third, fourth and fifth) on language arts and fifth graders in reading as well. As a whole, nine of 15 tests saw improvements in the 2011-12 school year.

Mansfield Elementary
Students at Mansfield elementary showed improvement in eight of the 15 testing categories. Students also surpassed the state's scores in all but fifth grade math.

Middle Ridge Elementary
Students improved in nine of 15 categories. Fifth graders surpassed their state peers in reading, language arts and social studies as well.

Oak Hill Elementary
Seven of 15 testing categories saw improvement. Also, all grades bested the state's scores in the reading test, third graders fared better than the state in reading, language arts, math and science and fifth graders equaled the state in language arts scores.

Porterdale Elementary
Students at Porterdale Elementary showed improvement in four out of the 15 testing categories. Fifth-grade students also matched the state average on the reading test.

Rocky Plains Elementary
Third-grade students at Rocky Plains surpassed the state's scores across the board, while fourth graders did better in reading, language arts and social studies, and matched the state in science. Fifth-grade students did better than the state in reading and equaled the state in language arts. Overall, students increased in nine of 15 testing categories.

South Salem Elementary
Students at South Salem increased in six of 15 categories, although scores fell below the state level in all categories.

West Newton Elementary
Students at West Newton increased in 13 of 15 testing categories. Additionally, third graders matched the state average in social studies and fifth grade bested the state in reading, language arts and math.

Newton County Theme School at Ficquett
The theme school showed improvement in 10 or 15 testing categories. Additionally, the school surpassed the state in all testing categories on the CRCT, and both fourth and sixth-grade students passed the reading test by 100 percent. Middle school scores cannot be compared because the theme school did not house the middle grades in the 2010-11 school year.

Clements Middle
Students at Clements Middle increased in 11 of 15 testing categories. Students also topped the state in seventh-grade reading and matches the state in seventh and eighth-grade language arts and eighth-grade reading.

Cousins Middle
Seven of the 15 categories showed student improvement and the school matched the 2010-11 school year in two categories. Eighth graders tested better than the state's scores in reading, language arts and science.

Indian Creek Middle
Students at Indian Creek scored better than the state in sixth-grade science and seventh-grade social studies, and equaled the state in sixth and seventh-grade reading and language arts and in seventh-grade math. The school also improved in 10 of the 15 testing categories.

Liberty Middle
Students increased in 11 of 15 categories. They also topped the state in seventh-grade language arts, math and science and eighth-grade math and science. The school matched the state's scores for reading in both seventh and eighth grades.

Veterans Memorial Middle
Veterans Memorial students increased in 10 categories and matched in two. Students also did better than the state in seventh-grade language arts and math test scores.

Challenge Charter Academy
Although the charter school is governed by a separate board of directors, its scores are also included with the system's averages. The academy increased in nine of the 15 categories, but fell below the state average on all tests.

"We are on the right track," said NCSS Superintendent Gary Mathews in a press release. "The system showed statistically significant gains of +3 or better in 13 instances in 2011-2012 compared to only 10 instances in 2012-2011. "What's truly significant about these latest scores is the fact that NCSS is now surpassing or equaling state performance in eight areas on the CRCTs," said Mathews.

"To equal or surpass the state in so many areas is a new development for our school system and our personnel have much to be proud of."