DEL.ICIO.USPlan would allow for CRCT tests, retests
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/17/08
Georgia public schools would start the school year in late August under a proposal by State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox.
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The plan, which would not go into affect until the 2009-10 school year, is designed so that all public schools would give the state's Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests and retests around the same time, said Matt Cardoza, spokesman for the Georgia Department of Education.
Scores from the retests, which typically produce better results, would then be used to determine if school made the federal testing goals required under the No Child Left Behind Act. The state recently received permission from the U.S. Department of Education to use retest data for its calculations.
Schools that repeatedly fail face increasingly severe sanctions, ranging from offering free tutoring to a possible takeover by the state.
The official start date for schools has yet to be determined, Cardoza said. Specifics will be developed after local superintendents agree to the plan.
Cox plans to present the proposal during Friday's Georgia School Boards Association meeting in Savannah, Cardoza said.
Many school districts already have set their calendars for 2009-10 year and would have to be willing to make changes. Every school district would have to sign off on the plan for it to work, he said.
"This is an all or nothing plan," Cardoza said. "This is up them."
The No Child Left Behind Act requires states to test students in grades 3-8 annually in reading and math and that a certain percentage of students pass these exams.
Scores from the CRCT help determine whether schools meet the law's testing goals, called adequate yearly progress and commonly referred to as AYP.
Most metro Atlanta schools now start in mid-August, and some parent groups have complained in recent years that starting dates are too early for various reasons ranging from truncated summer vacation seasons to hot weather.
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More on ajc.com
- Social studies material revised (08/13/2008)
- State board to vote on changes to social studies curriculum (08/12/2008)
- School year may start later (06/18/2008)
- SCHOOL UPROAR: Did faulty test fail kids? (05/21/2008)
- Use of state funds in suit queried (09/26/2008)
- Use of state funds in school lawsuit questioned (09/25/2008)
- Audit upholds math standard (09/23/2008)
- Audit: Math tests that students failed were not flawed (09/22/2008)
- State needs plan for ailing school boards (09/18/2008)
- Group withdraws schools lawsuit (09/17/2008)
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Comments
By MKA
Aug 18, 2008 1:35 AM | Link to this
Starting school so early in August makes it impossible for summer camps to operate, and means many of these children either cannot attend or have to leave early. What ever happened to summer vacation and some R&R? This coupled with testing and better test scores... what good reason is there to leave the start of school in early Aug?
By MKA
Aug 18, 2008 1:34 AM | Link to this
Starting school so early in August makes it impossible for summer camps to operate, and means many of these children either cannot attend or have to leave early. What ever happened to summer vacation and some R&R? This coupled with testing and better test scores... what good reason is there to leave the start of school in early Aug?
By MKA
Aug 18, 2008 1:34 AM | Link to this
Starting school so early in August makes it impossible for summer camps to operate, and means many of these children either cannot attend or have to leave early. What ever happened to summer vacation and some R&R? This coupled with testing and better test scores... what good reason is there to leave the start of school in early Aug?
By DR
Aug 13, 2008 8:31 PM | Link to this
It will be better for the kids to start school in September because it's too hot in August for the kids to go play outside . I'll vote YES, that's a great idea.
By DR
Aug 13, 2008 8:30 PM | Link to this
It will be better for the kids to start school in September because it's too hot in August for the kids to go play outside and. I'll vote YES, that's a great idea.
By cdm2002
Jul 22, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this
Starting school later is not going to make a difference. It's hot all the way into Nov. I don't like our kids on the hot buses but school systems should purchase AC buses. They are now in production. As far as the CRCT, our school starts in late July and by the time the test is given we make AYP. We are a Silver School. Why not start school later and let the children leave around 5:00? And as far as unnecessary all breaks are necessary because the brain needs a break.
By smith
Jul 21, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this
Please vote yes. Many reasons to do this. Kids should not be in school on August 10th. Most years, August is hotter than June and May regardless of what happened in June of 2008. Camps (which many kids need) and other summer based businesses have not been able to operate a normal summer schedule do to what has happenned to the traditional summer in the past.
By itsallgood61
Jun 26, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
Where is the research that shows that taking exams after Christmas break improves test scores? Show proof! Don't say something that you cannot back up.
I already know how hot it is in June and September. I don't have to look anything up.
Remember the original purpose to move the start date: CRCT scores. Tourism will not help raise those scores. Sorry, try again.
By momto3
Jun 25, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this
You can start schools two weeks later without going two weeks into June. There are lots of unnecessary days off during the school year that could be removed to streamline it (no, I don't mean Thanksgiving, Christmas or spring break).
Research shows that testing after Christmas is better for retention of material, it's a smart thing to do. Just because a teenager doesn't want to do it doesn't mean they shouldn't do it!
It's plain, it costs more to cool schools in August than May (yes, you actually could end the school year by the end of May!) And all that money saved can go directly back into the schools. And tourism/tax revenue translates into more money for the schools, more employment opportunities for high schoolers and more time for family togetherness. It is not just a tourism issue, it's a family issue.
It doesn't hurt students, teachers or parents, it does save ALOT of money, money that would be better used in the schools not flying out the windows in cooling costs.
By momto3
Jun 25, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
You can start schools two weeks later without going two weeks into June. There are lots of unnecessary days off during the school year that could be removed to streamline it (no, I don't mean Thanksgiving, Christmas or spring break).
Research shows that testing after Christmas is better for retention of material, it's a smart thing to do. Just because a teenager doesn't want to do it doesn't mean they shouldn't do it!
It's plain, it costs more to cool schools in August than May (yes, you actually could end the school year by the end of May!) And all that money saved can go directly back into the schools. And tourism/tax revenue translates into more money for the schools, more employment opportunities for high schoolers and more time for family togetherness. It is not just a tourism issue, it's a family issue.
It doesn't hurt students, teachers or parents, it does save ALOT of money, money that would be better used in the schools not flying out the windows in cooling costs.
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