Pierce County High School students are number one.
It’s not just a saying. The proof is in standardized test scores.
Pierce County students scored at or near the top in statewide rankings on Georgia's four mandated standardized tests.
Each year, Georgia high school students are required to take End-of-Course (EOC) exams in Algebra, Biology, American Literature, and US History.
For the 2023-2024 school year, PCHS ranked first in the state in Biology (out of 198 districts), second in the state in Algebra I (out of 206 districts), seventh in the state in American Literature (out of 195 districts), and 21st in the state in US History (out of 195 districts). PCHS also had higher scores than students in the nine county Okefenokee Regional Education Services Agency (RESA) in Algebra, Biology and American Literature.
“For a small, rural, truly public school, academic performance like this is unheard of. Most of the schools we compete with academically are in wealthy urban areas or have selective enrollment. I am amazed that our teachers and students succeed at the levels they do. I am convinced that there is no finer public high school in the state of Georgia than Pierce County High School,” said PCHS principal Kelly Murray.
Murray complimented all of his teachers, but especially his biology teachers LeighAnne Hersey and Kristi Bennett and algebra teachers Tina Cravey, Emily Crosby, Kiley Hodges and Elizabeth Slusher.
Murray emphasized that although PCHS’s U.S. History scores may appear lower than the other three exam areas, those scores are misleading.
PCHS ranked in the 90th percentile on the exam despite its top 85 honors students not taking the U.S. History EOC last year. This is because PCHS offers the college version of the course to honors students. Students taking the college course also receive high school credit for U.S. History, but do not take the high-school U.S. History EOC.
“Had all of our top students tested, I have no doubt they would have ranked at or near the top of the state in U.S. History as well,” Murray said.
School superintendent Dara Bennett also said she was very pleased with the scores.
“This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers, students, and administration. Test scores that are consistently near the top of the state is a strong indication that the faculty is committed to teaching the curriculum at the level of rigor that is needed for students to be able to perform well on high stakes assessments”
