Grayson, Loganville Middle-Schoolers Ace State Writing Test

Area middle-schoolers had some of the best scores in the state on this year’s Grade 8 State Writing Test, according to the Gwinnett County school system.

McConnell Middle in Loganville and Couch Middle in Grayson were ranked in the top 20 in both mean scaled scores and percentage of students exceeding the standard. 

McConnell was 11th in both categories. Couch was 12th in exceeding percentage and 14th in mean score. McConnell is in the Archer Cluster, and Couch in the Grayson Cluster.

More than 13,000 Gwinnett students took the test, which is a promotion requirement for eighth-graders in the county system.

In all, 10 Gwinnett County middle schools had mean scores in the top 25 in Georgia:

• Osborne, 1st (249); Twin Rivers, 5th (239); North Gwinnett, 8th (239); McConnell, 11th (237); Trickum, 13th (236); Couch, 14th (236); Crews, 18th (234); Pinckneyville, 21st (233); Five Forks, 22nd (233); Creekland, 23rd (232).

The average mean score in Gwinnett was 227.

Nine Gwinnett schools ranked in the top 20 in Georgia in percentage of eighth-graders exceeding state standards on the writing test:

• Osborne, 1st (42.3 percent); Twin Rivers, 6th (28.4); North Gwinnett, 7th (28.4); McConnell, 11th (27.7); Couch, 12th (27.3); Trickum, 14th (25.2); Pinckneyville, 16th (24.9); Crews, 17th (24.4); Five Forks, 18th (23.4).

About the test:  (From Gwinnett County Schools) The 8th grade state writing assessment measures a student’s ability to communicate in writing using an assigned prompt. The genres assessed in 8th grade are expository or persuasive writing. Students must demonstrate development of the topic; good organization of their ideas; use of language and vocabulary to engage the reader; and proper sentence structure, grammar, and mechanics. The skills reflected in the content of the test are included in the GCPS Academic Knowledge and Skills curriculum.