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EOCT scores show improvement
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Preliminary results are in for the end of course tests and Newton County high schools showed improvement in seven of the eight tests given, surpassing state scores in five of the eight categories.

Since the Georgia Board of Education approved a plan to phase out the Georgia High School Graduation Tests in the spring of 2011, these tests will determine 20 percent of a students who entered the ninth grade for the first time during the 2011-12 school year's final grade and will, beginning this year, be used in determining a school's progress in the Georgia College and Career readiness performance index.

Superintendent Gary Mathews said in a press release, that once retests are calculated he expects that Newton County will improve even more.

Each high school, as well as the district as a whole, increased in ninth grade literature, American literature, biology, economics and math I scores. Both Alcovy and Newton and the district increased scores in physical science, while Eastside dropped by three. And in U.S. history Alcovy and Eastside increased and the district score stayed the same, while Newton decreased by two. In math II the district, as well as Alcovy and Newton increased, while Eastside decreased by three.

Challenge Charter Academy, which is not governed by the county's board, but is included in the county's scores per the Georgia Department of Education, did not fare as well. They decreased by 11 in ninth grade literature and math I and by 16 in physical science. However they did increase by 14 in U.S. history and 10 in math II.