Schools policy allows students who earn a C or better on their report cards in subject areas tested by the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test and the Georgia Writing Test to qualify for an automatic review of failing standardized test scores. That review can void their failing scores.

That review was held Thursday by the Gwinnett County Board of Education.

Gwinnett County Schools uses the CRCT as its "Gateway" test for promotion in grades four and seven. The Georgia Writing test is used as the "Gateway" test for passing fifth and eighth grade. Approximately 42,115 fourth-, fifth-, seventh- and eighth-graders were required to pass the "Gateway" tests for promotion.

Gwinnett Schools officials said it is still unknown how many students officially passed or failed Gateway exams.

According to preliminary test results, however, 336 students who failed the test still qualified for a review of their scores, which was conducted by an independent committee of teachers, principals and administrators. Parents were given an opportunity to submit information regarding special circumstances such as sickness or a death in the family that could have affected their child's test performance before the committee issued its recommendations.

The board heard the committee's recommendations Thursday night. Each child was considered separately.

"We are always looking for a preponderance of evidence," said Dale Robbins, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Gwinnett Schools. "We think it is not in a student's best interest to be passed along unless they have the confidence and the skills to be successful at the next level."

Only 44 students who qualified for the assessment review were denied a waiver of their failing scores. It was "highly recommended" for those students to attend summer school and retake the test in July.

Gwinnett school board members said although the process is lengthy, it is an important one.

"It is the right thing to do to try to determine as best as humanly possible what is the best course of action to allow a child to be successful," school board member Dr. Robert McClure said. "It is a very extensive process."

GATEWAY RESULTS

Grade: 4

Students required to pass: 10,732

Students under board review: 197

Gateway waived, summer school not recommended: 52

Gateway waived, summer school recommended: 103

No waiver, summer school recommended: 42

Grade: 7

Students required to pass: 10,426

Students under board review: 100

Gateway waived, summer school not recommended: 4

Gateway waived, summer school recommended: 94

No waiver, summer school recommended: 2

Grade: 5

Students required to pass: 10,415

Students under board review: 2

Gateway waived, summer school not recommended: 0

Gateway waived, summer school recommended: 2

No waiver, summer school recommended: 0

Grade: 8

Students required to pass: 10,542

Students under board review: 37

Gateway waived, summer school not recommended: 8

Gateway waived, summer school recommended: 29

No waiver, summer school recommended: 0

KEY ELEMENTS OF GATEWAY RESULTS

• Approximately 42,115 Gwinnett County Public Schools students were required to pass Gateway standardized tests.

• According to preliminary results, school officials said Thursday the majority of students passed the exam on the first try.

• Those students who failed any part of the exam but received a grade of C or better on their report cards in subjects assessed by the Gateway qualified for a review of their test scores.

• The scores of 336 students were reviewed Thursday. The Gwinnett County school board waived the failing test scores for all but 44 of the students. Those 44 students must retake the Gateway for promotion to the next grade.

SUMMER SCHOOL/RETEST DATES

Gateway tests will be given on the following dates:

Writing: July 9

Science and Social Studies: July 10

Reading: July 15

Language Arts: July 16

Math: July 17