The Hancock County School System continues to perform well on the PLAN and
EXPLORE test given to eighth and 10th grade students. The students took the
test in September of 2009.

Eighth graders take the EXPLORE, and 10th graders the PLAN. The composite
scores for both Hancock County High School and Hancock County Middle School
exceed both state and national averages.

Hancock County High students scored a composite of 18.1, which ranked the
school eighth in the state overall. Of full county school districts, meaning
no independents or city/county school system divisions, Hancock County ranks
fourth overall.

"It is just absolutely fantastic where they are scoring," Ann Evans,
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction said. "We have a class that is near
the top in the state."

The PLAN is an ACT predictor test. If students perform well on it, it means
they possess an excellent chance of scoring high on the ACT.

Like the ACT, the PLAN tests four subject areas: English, Math, Reading and
Science. A breakdown of the scores in each subject area reveals not only
does HCHS possess an overall composite score above the state and national
averages, but the school also scores above state and national averages in
each component area.

For the 2009-10 school year, the state averaged a score of 15.8 in English,
while nationally the score averaged 16.9. Hancock County scored a 17.6. In
Math, the state averaged 16.5, and the nation 17.4. HCHS students easily
topped these marks with an 18.

In Reading, HCHS students scored a 17.6. The state averaged 16.2, and the
nation 16.9. HCHS' highest mark came in Science with an 18.7. The state
scored a 17.6, and the nation tallied an 18.2.

The score results greatly pleased Hancock County High School Principal Rick
Lasley. He praised the efforts of both students at Hancock County High and
the staff. He said it took dedication by both groups to make these results.

He attributed the rise in scores to a decision several years ago by the
school to concentrate on the college readiness of HCHS students.

"The last five years we have embedded ACT questions as well as PLAN
questions in the school curriculum," Lasley said. "I commend the staff for
truly embedding that type of curriculum the last five years. Our consistent
gains are a testament to that."

Scoring well on these tests bring many positive benefits to HCHS students.
The most important one is scholarships. The better students perform on the
ACT, the more scholarships become available for them to attend college.

Scores at Hancock County Middle School dropped this year, which came as a
shock to everyone. HCMS traditionally ranks at or near the top each year.

This year the school's score placed it 35th in the state.

Assistant Superintendent Evans said the district needed to examine the test
results in detail to see why the scores dropped. Even with the drop, HCMS
performed extremely well on the test.

"It is great scores," Evans said. "Anytime a school is above state and
national averages, it is great. It's just that we are used to being at the
very top."

All four subject areas recorded a drop from previous years. English scores
recorded a .4 drop from last year, Math declined .7, Reading .1 and Science
.5.

Despite this decline, every subject area exceeded state and national
averages. HCMS students scored 15.1 in English this year, significantly
above the state's 14, and the nation's 14.2. In Math, HCMS students scored
15.3, while the state tallied a 14.9 and the nation a 15.1.

In Reading the state scored a 14.2, which exceeded the national average of
13.8. HCMS eclipsed both marks with a 14.8. In Science HCMS students tallied
a 16.7, the state a 16.1 and the nation 15.9.

"I think the EXPLORER is a significant test as it is tied to the PLAN and
the ACT," HCMS Principal Gina Biever said. "Our scores on the EXPLORER are
okay, but they are not where we would like them to be."

Biever said she did not know why the scores dropped. She said the staff
needed to break down the test results and see what questions students
missed. When the school discovers this information, it allows the teachers
to address the teaching strategies needed to correct the problem.

She said several of the staff plan to attend professional development
classes over the summer. In turn, they plan to share this training with
other teachers to help them address the needs of students.

"I think you are going to see the scores improve," Biever said.