High school students across Rome and Floyd County are either sighing with relief or ringing their hands at the sight of their Georgia High School Writing Test results, which were released this week.

Statewide results show that the percentage of high school students that either met or exceeded GHSWT standards was at 93-percent, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

That’s up from 91-percent passing the exam last year and 88-percent in 2007, when the current, more rigorous assessment was first introduced. What’s more, minority and special education students are improving their performance on the test at a higher rate than white students, narrowing the achievement gap.

First-time test takers at Rome High School had a 96-percent pass rate, said Superintendent Gayland Cooper, which represents a 2-percent gain compared to the previous year.

Floyd County Assistant to the Superintendent Tim Hensley said the school system passed with 90-percent. Armuchee High School had a 95-percent pass rate; Coosa High School passed with 82-percent; Model High School passed with 95 percent; and Pepperell High School passed with 88-percent.

Last year’s numbers for Floyd County were 93-percent for the system overall, with school results coming to 93-percent for Armuchee High School, 89-percent for Coosa High School, 95-percent for Model High School and 96-percent for Pepperell High School.

Students must pass the test to receive a high school diploma and can take it multiple times in their junior and senior years. Students can score as many as to 350 points, with 200 points required to pass the test.

 The Georgia Department of Education reported that 93-percent of all students met or exceeded the standard for the test, a 2 percentage point increase from 91 percent in 2011.

Since the inception of the GHSWT as a GPS-based test in 2007, the percentage of all students meeting or exceeding the standard for the test has increased by 5 percentage points from 88-percent in 2007 to 93-percent in 2012.

The achievement gap between black and white students meeting or exceeding the standard has decreased by 4 percentage points from 10-percent to 6 -percent. Gains were made by both groups, but gains made by black students exceeded those made by white students. Ninety percent of black students met or exceeded the standard for the test, a 3 percentage point increase from 87-percent in 2011.

The achievement gap between Hispanic and white students meeting or exceeding the standard has decreased by 8 percentage points, from 13-percent to 5-percent. Gains were made by both groups, but gains made by Hispanic students exceeded those made by white students. Ninety-one percent of Hispanic students met or exceeded the standard for the test, a 2 percentage point increase from 89-percent in 2011.

The achievement gap between special education grade 11 first-time test takers and all grade 11 first-time test takers meeting or exceeding the standard has decreased by 11 percentage points, from 34-percent to 23-percent.  Seventy-two percent of special education grade eleven first-time test-takers met or exceeded the standard for the test, a 6 percentage point increase from 66-percent in 2011.