Putnam County Schools outperformed state averages in several key subjects during the spring TCAP assessment, according to data just released by the state.
Data and Testing Supervisor Jason Stickler said the school district saw consistent gains across multiple grade levels that reinforce the current instructional focus. Stickler said the district has outperformed state levels in grades three through eight math and English Language Arts, as well as high school English 1 and Geometry.
“We are extremely encouraged by the results that we got back,” Stickler said. “We are continuing to see gains across the board in Putnam County, and you know, it just reinforces that we are focused on the right work and that what we are doing is working.”
Stickler said third-grade English Language Arts scores rose to 51.9 percent, marking the fourth consecutive year of improvement for that grade level. Fourth-grade students also showed significant growth, with math scores jumping to approximately 67 percent and English Language Arts scores reaching about 56 percent.
“It tells us that we’re focused on the right work and not just performing well spring 2026, but our trend data,” Stickler said. “If I go back and talk about that third grade ELA and that fourth grade ELA and fourth grade math, you know, we’re talking three and four years of consistent gains within the district.”
Stickler said high school results showed English 2 scores hovering around 62 percent while the district saw some of its largest gains in Geometry. Stickler said the district will now begin diving into other subject areas, such as Algebra 2 and English 1, to focus on improvements for the coming year.
It validates the wonderful job that our teachers and our administrators do each day for our students,” Stickler said. “But looking very good for Putnam County.”
Stickler said the district attributes the upward trend to the implementation of high-quality, research-based instructional materials and the work of instructional coaches. Stickler said officials also analyze individual student data to ensure children are placed in appropriate support classrooms to meet their academic needs. Stickler said the testing results serve as a valuable metric for the school system.
“It’s an end-of-year indicator that lets us know how well students are progressing with content knowledge and it lets us know how prepared they are to enter that next grade level,” Stickler said.
Stickler said the academic results are factored into the TISA funding formula, which can result in bonus money for districts based on performance. Stickler said the district has already started planning for the next school year to maintain the current momentum.
“Just how incredibly blessed we are to have the teacher staff that we do and our administrators out in the buildings, and just a huge thank you to our community,” Stickler said. “Again, another great year for Putnam County, and we’re going to look forward to making even more gains next year.”