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Published Sunday, June 07, 2009 in Local

State applauds CRCT progress in math, science

By Winston Skinner

The Times-Herald

Parents can pick up copies of their children's Criterion Referenced Competency Tests results at school this coming week, and Cowetans will be able to access information on scores for the local system and individual schools -- eventually.

"Parents who would like to pick up the copy of their child's score report may do so at their child's school through June 11," said Dean Jackson, public information officer for the Coweta County School System. Schools will begin summer office hours on Monday and will be open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays.

System and school-by-school data will be available at the Georgia Department of Education Web site -- gadoe.org -- in the next few weeks. Dana Tofig, spokesman for the Georgia DOE, said system-level data will be available no later than June 19 and school level data will be available no later than July 7.

State officials noted CRCT scores for Georgia's elementary and middle school students improved in all areas this year, but most dramatically in the crucial subjects of mathematics and science.

Students posted gains on all 14 of the CRCT exams in mathematics and science, all of which are aligned with more rigorous curriculum the state has adopted in those subject areas.

"The 2009 CRCT results are very encouraging and show that our students are learning more advanced concepts and are able to apply that knowledge properly," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "Our elementary and middle school teachers should feel very proud. They are getting the job done."

The biggest one-year gain on any of the CRCTs statewide was in eighth-grade math. The pass rate was 70 percent, an increase of eight percentage points.

"Our new Grade 8 math curriculum is very rigorous, but our teachers and students are embracing the rigor and are making tremendous progress," Cox said. "Even more encouraging is the rise in the number of students who are scoring at higher levels on the exam."

The Coweta County School System notified parents by letter of their children's CRCT performance in mid-May, based on basic student performance reports sent to schools. "The official report available at schools now contains more detailed information than the initial score, including greater detail of student performance and how the scale score was earned," Jackson said.

Parents can use the more detailed state report to provide their children with summer activities or reading lists to prepare them for the next grade.

The CRCT results available in schools now are from the main administration of the test in April. Results of retests taken on May 26 and 27 are not expected for participating third-, fifth- or eighth-grade students until the end of June. "Parents of students who took math or reading CRCT retests will be notified when those results arrive," Jackson said.

A total of 13,522 Coweta students in grades 1-8 took the test in April. The tests are used to evaluate schools for Adequate Yearly Progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act and are utilized in determining promotion or retention at certain grade levels.

CRCT scores in grades 3-5 are used in determining AYP for elementary schools. Middle schools are ranked for AYP using the CRCT scores in grades 6-8. AYP rankings can also examine scores within certain groups such as male or female, racial categories or students who are served by special education or have a primary language other than English.

Statewide results showed progress for subgroups on the CRCT. "Scores are rising for all students," Cox said. "Our English Language Learner, African-American and Hispanic students are improving faster than the rest of the state and are closing the achievement gap. There is still work to be done, but the progress in undeniable."

Third-graders must post a set reading score on the CRCT to be promoted to fourth grade. Eighth-grade CRCT scores in both English and math are examined before the student can proceed to high school.

A total of 965 Coweta system students at the end of May took portions of the test they had failed earlier in the year. The students were in grades three, five or eight and had posted an unacceptable scores on either the math or reading portion.

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