DeKalb Early College Academy was the top-performing high school in DeKalb County for the 2012-13 school year, according to a statewide schools report card released Monday.

But that’s only half the story. DECA, a school serving mostly minority and poor students, was also the top-ranked high school in metro Atlanta, according to Georgia’s new way of measuring school performance.

Schools and districts are receiving grades through the state’s College and Career-Ready Performance Index, which uses student test scores, academic progress and closing the gap in performance between groups of students to come up with a numerical grade of zero to 110. After releasing CCRPI results for the first time last year for the 2011-12 school year, state officials tinkered with the formula and emphasized the value of academic growth.

Among DeKalb’s other schools, Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers, which teaches students in grades four through six, had the best score for elementary and middle schools. Kittredge Magnet School, another 4-6 school, scored just below Wadsworth at the middle school level and was third among elementary schools. Austin Elementary was the second ranked elementary school.

Look up your school's score and compare it with other schools at myajc.com. See the raw numbers at the Georgia Department of Education. Check back to ajc.com for rankings from other districts.

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Children in the Head Start program play outside with lead teacher Genesis Lavanway at the Arthur M. Blank Early Learning Center. It's one of the Head Start programs in Georgia that may not receive its annual funding on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown. A bridge loan from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will keep the programs running for another 45 days. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

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(Photo Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC | Source: Getty, Unsplash)

Credit: Philip Robibero / AJC