Math Score Improvement Has Special Meaning For One OKC School

Oklahoma City Public Schools is applauding students and teachers across the district.

Tuesday, the OKCPS revealed the tremendous improvements to the math scores from the state's standardized test, but for one high school, the improvement holds a special meaning.

Days before these standardize tests were taken a fatal crash outside John Marshall Mid-High School took the life of a star athlete and honor roll student.

To motivate students during this time of grief, they created the hashtag "Do it for CJ".

Overwhelmed with pain and sadness, students dropped to their knees that Friday afternoon in April.

News quickly spread around John Marshall Mid-High School of their friend's tragic and sudden death.

“Everybody was running down there, they hopped in their cars going down there and it was just crazy,” said Shanacee Jefferson, John Marshall sophomore.  

The fatal accident was the result of horseplay that ended horrifically.

State standardized tests were scheduled for the following Monday, and were pushed back so everyone could grieve.

“The students really rallied behind his leadership and character. They started hash tagging do it for CJ. And that was their motivator to do their very best and try to stay focused as much as possible,” John Marshall principal Aspasia Carlson said.

“It just made us really try to go harder, so it was really like do it for him,” Jefferson said.

Their rallying motivation and drive reflected in the school's algebra scores, jumping 20 points from last year.

“I could not be more proud of our students and our teachers and our parents and community,” Carlson said.

As the new school year begins at John Marshall Mid-High and preparation for this year's tests resume, students and staff continue to use the hashtag #doitforCJ honoring their friend's memory.

A scholarship has been named after CJ Davis and will be awarded starting this school year.

Below are the Oklahoma City Public Schools that raised their math scores.

• Jefferson MS  – 34 point gain in 7^th grade math CRT’s 
• Rogers MS – 75 point gain in 8^th grade math CRT’s
• Webster MS – 33 point gain in Algebra 1 EOI’s
• John Marshall HS – 20 point gain in Algebra 1 EOI’s
• Centennial HS – 38 point gain in Algebra 1 EOI’s
• Douglass MS – 25 point gain in 8^th grade math CRT’s
• Taft MS – 18 point gain in 8^th grade math CRT’s