Although scores were down slightly from last year, 11th grade Newton County students still scored higher than the statewide average in the Georgia High School Writing Test.

The school system as a whole scored 94 percent in the writing test, while the state score was 93 percent. This is down from last year's score of 95 percent.

At Newton High, students scored 94 percent, at Eastside 95percent and at Alcovy 93 percent. Students taking the test at Challenge Charter Academy scored 69 percent, down 10 points from last year. The only school that stayed the same was EHS. AHS went down two points and NHS went down one.

"I believe it is accurate to say that our high schools have performed very well this fall on this important measure," said Superintendent Gary Mathews in an email. "This is just one point below our 2011 results. And, for the state of Georgia, at 93 percent passing, the state showed a 2-point decline this year versus last."

Students are required to take, and pass, all portions of the Georgia High School graduation test in order to graduate from high school. There were 1,080 students who took the test in Newton County.