Newton County, Georgia — As Newton County Schools prepares for upcoming end-of-year state assessments, the district is sharing student performance data since beginning its academic improvement effort three years ago.

While no single test defines a school system, multiple years of data now provides a clearer picture of student learning. When Superintendent Dr. Duke Bradley, III was appointed, he identified improving student outcomes, particularly reading and mathematics proficiency, as the district’s central work.

Today, the district reports strong progress toward that commitment. Newton County Schools has more students reading on grade level and more students proficient in mathematics than when the effort began three years ago.

A Focused Improvement Strategy

The district attributes its progress to a deliberate shift toward a small number of focused academic priorities and a reorganization of how schools are supported.

Additionally, the central office was restructured to focus directly on classroom results while also implementing a new leadership model that includes principal supervisors - veteran administrators tasked with coaching and supporting school principals.

The district has also prioritized developing an instructional framework designed to clarify expectations for effective classroom teaching, along with a literacy blueprint that reinforces reading as the system’s central academic priority. It is expected that both initiatives, once fully implemented, will further accelerate student performance over time.

Aligning Resources to Proven Practices

Alongside structural changes, Newton County Schools conducted a Board-requested resource audit to review programs and spending patterns. Outdated, underutilized, and low-impact materials were eliminated so resources could be concentrated on approaches shown to improve learning. The district also studied classrooms across its schools to identify successful practices already producing results.

“We studied everything and everyone around us that was getting results for kids,” Bradley said. “What we discovered is that many of the answers we were seeking were present among our own teachers and leaders. Our work was to identify and scale those practices.”

The Board of Education supported the work by maintaining focus on academic priorities and providing consistent oversight. Over the past three years, the district publicly articulated organizational priorities and issued quarterly updates to keep the community informed.

“It hasn’t always been comfortable,” Bradley said. “Change rarely is. But sustained improvement requires focus and transparency, and the Board’s support has allowed us to stay the course.”

The Results

Compelling District data shows improvement across multiple academic areas spanning the past three years:

• Reading proficiency increased in 5 of 6 tested grade levels
• Math proficiency improved in every tested grade level, including 9th-grade Algebra
• The number of Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars has increased from 78 to 181
• AP course offerings increased from 25 to 32 (7 new courses)
• AP course participation increased from 1267 to 1513 students, a 19.4% increase 
• Students participating in one or more dual enrollment courses increased from 271 to 640 students. Participation more than doubled overall, and more than doubled among Black students (175 to 428); Hispanic student participation increased (25 to 45)
• Eighth-grade students earning high school credit increased from 295 to 413, a 40% increase

Graduation rates have remained above 90% for consecutive years

District leaders note that their progress is not limited to a single subject or grade span. “When improvement shows up in more than one place, it tells you something about the organization itself,” Bradley said.

Achievement Beyond Academics

Board Chair Abigail Coggin noted that academic improvement has been accompanied by organizational stability. “Improving student performance requires well run business operations as well, and that includes everything from staffing to finances,” Coggin said.

Over the same three-year period, the district also reported:

• Three consecutive clean financial audits with zero findings
• Increased teacher compensation, including raising starting teacher pay to $53,000
• Improved staff retention and workforce stability through multiple new staff recognition programs
• Implementation of a voter-approved $54 million E-SPLOST program
• Strong Board engagement and oversight 

A Current View of Student Learning

Because student achievement data is reported on a lag, districts often see results a year after the learning occurs. With several years of data now available, Newton County Schools plans to continue scaling and accelerating improvement efforts.

“We are encouraged by our progress,” Bradley said. “But we have not arrived. Several schools still require focused support, and we have more work ahead.”

Looking Ahead

District leaders say academic improvement, particularly literacy, will remain the primary focus moving forward. At the same time, school systems nationwide continue to face financial pressures and changing educational expectations.

“We will continue pursuing results our community can be proud of,” Bradley said. “However, the days ahead will require careful decisions and strong leadership. Our responsibility is to keep improving outcomes for students even as the environment around public education continues to change.”

Bradley added that the district evaluates its work using a simple measure: whether students are learning more than before.

“Based on the evidence we have, the answer is yes.”