Tuesday, July 3, 2012

ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia high school students made slight improvements this year on end-of-course tests in U.S. history, economics, biology, physical science and English, according to new data released Tuesday by the state Department of Education.

In April 2011, the state Board of Education approved a plan to phase out the Georgia High School Graduation tests beginning with the class of 2015. State officials say end-of-course tests, which began in Georgia last year, are a better measure of how much students have learned.

Students showed the biggest gains in economics, with 77 percent passing, up from 72 percent last year.

There was a one percent decrease in the number of students passing the Mathematics II exam, which includes geometry, Algebra II and statistics. Fifty-four percent of students passed that test this year.

(Copyright 2012, The Associated Press)