Atlanta Public Schools (APS) continued to show overall improvement on the College and Career Readiness Index (CCRPI), according to the 2025 CCRPI data, released by the Georgia Department of Education.
The CCRPI includes five components: Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, Readiness, and – for high schools – Graduation Rate. APS scored 100 on the Closing Gaps component in elementary schools and improved Readiness and Content Mastery scores at all grade bands. Additionally, students with disabilities and who are economically disadvantaged made gains in 11 of 12 areas.
Principal Tiffany Momon details how Cascade Elementary School achieved its gains:
Q: What specific strategies or initiatives did your school implement that you believe contributed most to the CCRPI improvement?
A: The high leverage strategies that contributed to the success of Cascade Elementary School closing the gaps between students consisted of: Co-teaching, vocabulary skills focus, and extensive writing activities. At Cascade Elementary School we believe that there is strength in numbers and have adopted co-teaching models for the majority of the classes in grades 3-5. With this approach, we are able to decrease the student to teacher ratio and provide a more one to one approach to the learning environment. Teachers are able to support students in small group settings to provide a bite size approach to the skills that they are teaching.The students in turn are able to ask questions and receive immediate feedback and support when they are struggling with a concept. During the 2nd semester of school building students’ vocabulary in all contents became a school-wide focus for each grade level. Students were constantly exposed to unfamiliar words and challenged to use the terms in the proper context in a variety of settings. Anchor charts and frayer models highlighting key vocabulary terms were expected to be posted in all classrooms for all contents.
Finally, the students were expected to write across the curriculum using the Tier 2 and Tier 3 terms that were being learned each week. It was important to build students’ stamina during writing and therefore teachers conducted writing clinics and workshops on various topics each week paying close attention to the transition of brainstorming to actually typing the initial draft with minimum corrections needed.
Q: Can you share examples of how your teachers are driving student growth and achievement, and any practices that have been particularly effective?
A: The gains being made at Cascade are the results of the effort that the entire team makes because it is an all hands on deck approach in the Tiger’s Den. There are a few individuals whose impact is making a remarkable difference. They are Mr. Willie Mills (Master Teacher Leader), Ms. Prekoshiah Scott (5th Grade Science), and Mrs. Rebekah Cornejo (4th Grade Writing).
Mr. Willie Mills has been a force to be reckoned with since he has been a teacher at Cascade Elementary School. He was a highly effective teacher who became the Master Teacher Leader a few years ago. Each year, he is assigned to a teacher that is novice and needs support to improve their teaching capacity. He teaches the teachers strategies to use to enhance themselves as professionals. He works directly with students as well and challenges them to excel in Mathematics. Each year the classes and teachers that he is assigned to does exceptionally well demonstrating academic growth and mastery on the Georgia Milestones.
Ms. Scott has a true passion for Science and helps the students make real world connections. She ensures that the students are engaged in Scientific projects each month and provides an environment where students are excited to learn about Science. Ms. Scott is very passionate and competitive and assures that each year the students will grow higher and higher.
Mrs. Cornejo is a skilled English Language Arts Teacher and works really hard to develop student writers. She consistently conferences with students to give them feedback for improvement. Mrs. Cornejo is a constant learner herself and always researching ways to improve her skillset as an ELA instructor. The way that she models her thinking for students helps them to develop as well.
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