FORSYTH COUNTY -- If students and teachers are graded based on their ability to perform on tests and meet requirements, it is only fitting that schools and districts receive their own report cards — and use them to tailor curriculum to students’ needs.

The Georgia Department of Transportation released their 2016 College and Career Ready Performance Index, or the CCRPI, and Forsyth County schools and the district are among the top in the state.

Based on data from the 2015-2016 school year, Forsyth County Schools earned the highest district score among large districts and the highest district, elementary and middle school scores in metro-Atlanta, with a total score of 92.5, compared to the state’s 73.6.

“Our schools do a really good job at looking at their data and determining what they need to do to guide their instruction and their programs,” said Karl Mercer, director of accountability for the district.

The CCRPI is Georgia’s state wide accountability system, implemented in 2012 to replace No Child Left Behind’s (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) measurement after the U.S. Department of Education granted Georgia’s waiver from NCLB.

Scores are measured on a 100-point scaled based on multiple performance indicators, including student achievement, school climate and financial efficiency.

Mercer said while the district can use the score to shine a floodlight on overall performance, schools can use it to shine a flashlight, narrowed and specific.

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Elementary school

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Forsyth County’s 20 elementary school’s scored an average of 90.7, down from 92.3 in 2015 but still second in Georgia.

This is in line with elementary schools throughout the state, which saw a “significant year-to-year decrease” that has been attributed to “bonus point opportunities not being met for economically disadvantaged students, English learners and students with disabilities.

Statewide, elementary schools decreased from 76 in 2015 to 71.7 in 2016.

“These results point to the need for continued intensive focus on the foundations in early grades,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said.

Each year, schools can earn extra points if certain student groups meet performance targets, and from the 2015 to the 2016 school year, annually increasing targets were not met for those elementary student groups — even though subgroup performance increased in math, science and social studies.

“ELA is a big area,” Mercer said. “Literacy, that’s really what are they big areas they’re working on.”

Johns Creek Elementary scored the highest in Forsyth County by earning a 102.9, followed by Sharon Elementary’s 102.8 and Daves Creek’s 102.2.

Compared to elementary schools throughout the state, Johns Creek scored the fourth highest, Sharon the fifth, Daves Creek the seventh and Big Creek the eighth. Brookwood (11) and Settles Bridge (16) were marked in the top 20.

Brandywine was not given a CCRPI score as it was not open in for the 2015-2016 school year.

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Middle school

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Middle schools in Forsyth County — minus DeSana for the same reason as Brandywine — earned a 92.2 CCRPI, up from 91.1 in 2015 and above the state average of 71.5.

South Forsyth scored the highest in the county with a 101.2, and six of the nine middle schools improved from 2015.

South’s score was the second best of all middle schools in the state, with Riverwatch ranking fourth and Vickery Creek 12th.

Combined, all nine schools had the second highest average in Georgia.

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High school

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High schools saw the largest improvement from 2015, increasing from an 87.6 to a 92 and far surpassing the state average of 75.7.

Lambert’s 100.6 marked both the highest score in Forsyth and the largest improvement from 2015, when it earned a 95. The score was also tied for ninth of all high schools in the state.

The total high school score in Forsyth, which includes the Forsyth Virtual Academy, was the seventh-highest in Georgia.