Georgia's harder middle school math tests —- created to match the state's tougher new math curriculum —- will probably have the unintended consequence of leaving some middle schools behind.

State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox predicts more students will fail these harder exams and that will cause more middle schools to miss the testing goals required under federal law.

The No Child Left Behind Act punishes schools that repeatedly fail. Last year, 66 of the state's 450 middle schools missed testing goals solely because of math scores. Cox said last week she expects the number of failing schools to increase.

Her prediction is based on more than the curriculum that middle schools phased in over the past few years. This year, the state also requires a higher percentage of students pass the exams for schools to comply with the federal law. Students are taking the math tests this month.

"States that have increased rigor are getting penalized under this system," Cox said. "We made changes to make our schools better for our children. We did the right thing and we're getting punished for it. This is a problem with NCLB."

The law punishes schools that repeatedly fail and rewards those that make adequate yearly progress, commonly referred to as AYP.

Schools meet testing goals if a certain percentage of their students pass state exams. The law requires states to gradually increase their passing rate to the point that 100 percent of a school's students must pass state exams by 2014.

Georgia's passing rates, set in 2003 and approved by the federal government, required 58.3 percent of middle schoolers to pass the math test last year. Under those guidelines, it was scheduled to increase to 66.7 percent this year. However, those rates were set before the state approved its harder math curriculum in 2005. The rates and new curriculum don't match, so Cox asked for a waiver in February to change the math passing rate to 60 percent this year.

Cox said the federal government refused, citing a clause in the law that prevents such a change.

Cherokee County Superintendent Frank Petruzielo said he understands why the state wanted to change the passing rates.

"We're expecting more from our students and teachers, so why would we use the standards from the old curriculum?" Petruzielo said. "It sounds like the state is trying to prevent a situation where our kids may look dumber, when in effect they may be smarter. The fact the federal government said no reflects the same obstinate behavior we've come to expect from the people who thought No Child Left Behind was a good idea."

The U.S. Department of Education declined to comment, saying no formal decisions have been made.

"We are still considering Georgia's requests and cannot comment while the department is considering any state's requests," said Jo Ann Webb, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Department of Education.

The mammoth education law is President Bush's signature domestic initiative. Signed into law in 2002, the act seeks giant gains in student achievement and holds schools accountable for reaching these goals. Schools that fail face increasingly severe sanctions, up to a possible takeover by the state.

Georgia overhauled its curriculum in response to years of criticism from teachers and education experts who said the standards were too weak. The biggest changes focus on math. Middle school math classes cover more new material and less review than before.

The state's concerns focus on middle schools because elementary school students historically test well in math and high schools have yet to teach the new math standards. Also, students' math test scores typically begin dropping in middle school because the material becomes more difficult.

Congress could have solved Georgia's problem by reauthorizing the law this year, but lawmakers can't agree on all the details. So the law remains unchanged.

Georgia isn't the only state frustrated by the law's one-size-fits-all approach, said Jack Jennings, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Center on Education Policy. The Washington-based group tracks the law's implementation.

Jennings said Georgia was right to improve its curriculum, but the state will likely suffer because of it.

"If the state had kept the weaker standards, it wouldn't be in this situation," Jennings said. "This is a conflict of good goals. The U.S. Department of Education is being a stickler on its goal."

WAITING FOR TEST SCORES?

Over the next few months, the Georgia Department of Education will release results from statewide exams students took this school year. These reports come out on different dates each year but are released in a general time frame.

The department releases statewide data first. About 10 business days later, the state releases details for each school district. After that come local school-by-school data. In many cases, parents will get test scores for their child before the release of any state reports.

Here are when the results are expected for some important exams and benchmarks:

> Georgia High School Graduation Test: The exam students must pass to graduate from high school. The test covers reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Expect statewide results between the end of April and early May.

> Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests: This test determines if students meet state learning standards. Students in grades 1-8 take these tests. Students in grades 3, 5 and 8 must pass some sections of the test to move on to the next grade. Expect statewide results in early June.

> End of Course Tests: Tests students take at the end of eight classes: algebra I, geometry, U.S. history, economics, biology, physical science, American literature and ninth-grade literature. The results count toward 15 percent of a student's final grade in the course. Expect statewide results in late June.

> Adequate Yearly Progress: How schools are held accountable through the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Schools must reach certain benchmarks on specifics test every year. Georgia uses CRCT and GHSGT results. Schools that miss the mark for consecutive years face increasingly severe sanctions, ranging from allowing students to transfer to better-performing schools to a possible takeover by the state. Expect this in early to mid-July.

ARE YOU SMARTER THAN AN EIGHTH-GRADER?

The Georgia Department of Education says the math questions on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests reflect the state's new and more rigorous learning standards. Many of the questions involve graphs and charts. Here are two word questions from the practice quiz published in the state's study guide for eighth-graders:

1. Tammy is 2 years older than twice the age of her brother. The sum of their ages is 17. If x represents the age of her brother, which equation represents this situation?

A. 2x + 2 = 17

B. 2(x+2) = 17

C. x + 2(x+2) = 17

D. x + (2x+2) = 17

2. John gets price quotes from two different lawn-mowing services for the cost of mowing the field next to his house. Company A charges $8 plus an additional $5 per hour. Company B charges $2 plus an additional $6 per hour. The price quote for each company is the same amount. How many hours do the companies estimate it will take to mow the field?

A. 6

B. 10

C. 21

D. 38

Answers: 1. (D) x + (2x+2) = 17; 2. (A) 6

TESTING CONSEQUENCES

Schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind face no consequences the first year. Schools that miss the mark in the same area for two or more consecutive years are considered "needs improvement" and face increasingly severe sanctions. Here are some of the consequences:

> Needs Improvement Year 1: Allow students to transfer to higher-performing schools.

> Year 2: Student transfers; offer supplemental services such as tutoring or remedial classes.

> Year 3: Student transfers; supplemental services; and corrective action. Schools must implement fundamental changes such as using a new curriculum or extending school year or school day.

> Year 4: Student transfers; supplemental services; continue corrective action; and develop a plan for restructuring. The school must either consider or implement serious changes, including converting to a charter school, replacing staff, bringing in a private management company or asking the state or district leaders to take over the school.

> Year 5: Student transfers; supplemental services; continue corrective action; and implement the restructuring plan.

Source: Georgia Department of Education

MATH PROBLEMS

Last year, 66 of Georgia's 450 middle schools failed to meet testing goals solely because of math scores. Here are the schools from the metro area:

> Atlanta: Benjamin S. Carson Preparatory, Brown Middle, Harper-Archer Middle, Kennedy Middle, Long Middle and Turner Middle

> Clayton County: Sequoyah Middle

> Cobb County: Campbell Middle, Cooper Middle, Floyd Middle and Smitha Middle

> DeKalb County: Lithonia Middle, McNair Middle, Stephenson Middle and Stone Mountain Middle

> Fulton County: Camp Creek Middle, Hapeville Charter Middle, Holcomb Bridge Middle and Sandtown Middle

> Gwinnett County: Louise Radloff Middle, Richards Middle and Sweetwater Middle

Source: Georgia Department of Education

 JEMAL R. BRINSON / Staff 
MATH PASSING RATES
The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to have all of their students pass math, reading and language arts tests by 2014. Each state decides how to reach that goal. Here is Georgia's passing rate schedule for the math CRCT. 
Line graph shows Georgia's passing rate schedule increasing from 50% in 2003 to 100% by 2014.
Source: Georgia Department of Education