VALDOSTA — Seven Lowndes County schools and one Valdosta city school are “Beating the Odds,” according to Governor’s Office of Student Achievement data released earlier this month. 

The Beating the Odds report compared schools’ actual performances on the College and Career Ready Performance Index with the performance of other Georgia schools with similar characteristics, according to a GOSA press release. Schools were classified as “Beating the Odds” for performing higher than similar schools.

The analysis showed that the Lowndes County schools “Beating the Odds” are Dewar Elementary, Pine Grove Middle, Moulton-Branch Elementary, Hahira Elementary, Pine Grove Elementary, Clyattville Elementary and Lake Park Elementary; the four remaining county schools did not receive the designation. 

Valdosta City School’s Pinevale Elementary is “Beating the Odds,” according to the GOSA report; the remaining seven city schools did not receive the designation. 

Scintilla Charter Academy was not considered as “Beating the Odds,” according to the GOSA analysis. 

Characteristics considered in the GOSA report were the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, percentage of English language learners, percentage of students with disabilities, percentage of students in each race/ethnicity, school size, etc.

“The primary purpose (of the Beating the Odds report) is to complement the CCRPI as an accountability measure in performance contracts between schools or districts and the state board of education, including charter schools, charter systems and strategic waiver school systems,” according to the Beating the Odds overview. 

The school systems are out of class this week for the Christmas break.

For more information on the GOSA statistical analysis, visit gosa.georgia.gov/beating-odds-analysis. 

Kimberly Cannon is a Reporter with The Valdosta Daily Times. Her extension is 1376.