Five Richmond County schools with high growth were among 13 that made adequate gains in standardized testing, according to the state’s ABC’s evaluation this week.

“I’m very pleased by the number of who have achieved high or expected in our district,” Richmond County Schools Superintendent Dr. George Norris said. “We congratulate our students and their teachers for their hard work and accomplishments.”

Schools making high growth included Fairview Heights Elementary, L.J. Bell Elementary, Mineral Springs Elementary, Richmond Transitional School and Roberdel Children’s Center.

The eight remaining schools that made expected growth were Cordova Elementary, Monroe Avenue Elementary, Rohanen Primary, West Rockingham Elementary, Ellerbe Middle, Rockingham Middle, Leak Street High School and Richmond Senior High.

Schools failing to make expected growth were Ashley Chapel Elementary, Rohanen Middle, Hamlet Middle, Richmond County Ninth Grade Academy, Richmond County Early College High School and Washington Street.

While retest results were used to calculate the Adequate Yearly Progress results released last week and proficiency rates under the ABC umbrella, they were not a factor in calculating growth under the ABC’s evaluation.

ABC proficiency results are determined using reading and math scores from grades three through eight, science scores from grades five through eight, end-of-course testing from grades eight through 12, writing tests in grade 10 and computer skills testing from grade eight.

Other academic measures such as a school’s dropout rate and college preparation and college technical preparation participation rates are also factored into the formula.

Growth is determined using end-of-grade reading and math scores and selected end-of-course tests, pre- and post-test measures and scoring on a scale of one to four.

For alternative schools, it is determined using local option goals and testing goals.

From kindergarten through eighth grade, statewide accountability testing is administered in grades three through eight. In kindergarten, first and second grades, another type of assessment is used to evaluate student performance, and do not factor into ABC results.

Growth at the high school level is determined by comparing student performance on designated end-of-course tests with previous student performance on the tests. Improvement in dropout rates and participation in college prep or technical prep course of study are also factored into the growth level.

RCS Director of Student Testing and Accountability Steve Lear explained that academic growth compares students’ academic performance as compared to the previous year, and what has been typical statewide in the past.

“ABC results incorporate growth,” he said. “They incorporate a student’s individual growth, as well as a school’s collective growth.”

Students scores are evaluated on pre-test and post-test basis, with the expectation they will out-perform their scores from the previous year.

In order to make expected growth, the sum total of students must make expected growth, Lear said, and to make high growth 60 percent of the students must make expected growth.

“Growth is a fairly good indicator of instructional impact, because with growth we’ve controlled the variable of the student and we’ve controlled the variable of the test,” Lear continued. “What makes the difference in growth is the instructional impact.”

While Lear believes this is a good measure, he doesn’t believe it’s a perfect measure, but said that it does give school districts a good idea of how their teachers perform.

“We’re very encouraged by these results,” he said. “What you see reflected here is the hard work of the students and our staff and our teachers.”

Unfortunately, that hard work won’t earn any bonuses for teachers this year, as is the tradition.

Due to the budget crisis, incentive awards for teachers have been suspended.

A chart of proficiency rates, the measure incorporating retests, shows only three schools were under 50 percent proficiency in the school system.

The district’s two alternative schools, Leak Street (13.4) and Richmond County Transitional School (24.7), were joined by Ashley Chapel on this list.

Ashley Chapel students earned a 38.6 proficiency rate.

Richmond County Early College earned the highest rating at 75.3, with L.J. Bell (72.1) and Richmond Senior High (71.7) rounding out the top three in the county.