The Habersham County School System is celebrating students’ achievements on the Georgia Milestones test. Habersham ranked above average in its region for all 19 areas tested at the end of last school year. The school system ranked first in the region for student attendance.
Superintendent of Schools Matthew Cooper released the test results during the Habersham County Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, August 8. (The meeting was postponed due to bad weather Monday.)
“As superintendent, I am pleased to report that 2023 was our best year ever for students taking the Georgia Milestones assessments. In 2023, our school system set a new record for the number of tested areas that are above the regional averages,” he said.
“Our staff, students, parents, and community should be very proud of what our students and teachers have accomplished. It takes a team effort to realize this kind of significant progress and achievement.”
Director of Elementary Schools Susan Davis added she is “thrilled” with how the county’s 3rd, 4th, and 5th-graders performed above the RESA average in reading, math, and science.
“The consistently strong performance of Habersham County schools is evidence that success for all students is truly at the heart of the great work that takes place in our schools every single day,” Davis said.
READ Habersham County Milestone Report
Score highlights
According to the compiled Milestone data Superintendent Cooper released at Tuesday’s meeting, Habersham County Schools scored higher than 13 of the 14 schools in the Pioneer Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) on the 2023 Milestone assessments.
Habersham County students scored above the RESA average in all 19 areas in which they were tested.
Here’s a breakdown of the results:
2023 Elementary System Highlights
- 3rd-grade Reading – Top 4 in RESA
- 3rd-grade ELA -Top 5 in RESA
- 4th-grade ELA -Top 4 in RESA
2023 Middle School System Highlights
- 6th-grade ELA – Top 4 in RESA
- 7th-grade ELA -Top 3 in RESA
- 7th-grade Math-Top 3 in RESA
- 8th-grade ELA – Top 4 in RESA
- 8th-grade Math -Top 3 in RESA
- 8th-grade Science -Top 3 in RESA
- 8th-grade S.S. – Top 4 in RESA
2023 High School System Highlights
- Algebra 1 – Top 3 in RESA and Top 20 in the state
- Biology- Top 3 in RESA and Top 25 in the state
- US History – Top 3 in RESA and Top 10 in the state
RESA Champs
Several Habersham County schools ranked at the top of their class in the region in certain academic areas:
- Wilbanks, South Habersham, and North Habersham middle schools ranked #1 of 25 middle schools in Algebra l;
- North Habersham Middle School ranked #1 of 25 middle schools in 6th-grade Math, 8th-grade Science, and 8th Social Studies;
- Hazel Grove Elementary School ranked #1 of 66 elementary schools in 4th-grade ELA;
- Woodville Elementary School ranked #1 off 66 elementary schools in 4th-grade Math.
Other notable 2023 Milestone results
- North Habersham Middle School ranked #4 of 628 Georgia middle schools in 8th-grade Science.
- Wilbanks Middle is the 3rd most improved traditional middle school in the state of Georgia.
- Habersham Central is the 10th most improved traditional high school in the state of Georgia.
Overall, Habersham County outperformed 79% of Georgia school systems, the report states, citing schooldigger.com.
Habersham Central High School ranked number one in SAT scores out of 24 high schools.
Top in attendance
Habersham County students not only performed well in class, but they also did the best job of getting to school. The county posted the highest overall school system attendance ranking in Pioneer RESA.
Here are the 2023 Pioneer RESA System Attendance Rankings for Average Daily Attendance. (Highlighted school systems represent a tie):
RESA System
1. Habersham County 94.5%
2. Hart County 93.9%
3. Lumpkin County 93.6%
3. Dawson County 93.6%
4. Towns County 93.1%
5. Stephens County 93.0%
5. White County 93.0%
6. Franklin County 92.9%
6. Gainesville City 92.9%
6. Rabun County 92.9%
7. Hall County 92.5%
8. Union County 92.1%
9. Banks County 91.9%
9. Fannin County 91.9%
To see individual school attendance breakdowns, click here.
