The standardized test given to some elementary and all middle school students in Georgia may be linked in the public mind to cheating and to an over-emphasis on testing.
But Thursday, the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, widely known as the CRCT, brought smiles to Schools Superintendent John Barge, who touted improved performances from students in a wide range of academic subject areas.
Georgia students did better this year in English/language arts, social studies and reading, while scores remained flat or dipped slightly in math and science. . The CRCT, administered each year to public school students in grades three through eight, measures whether students meet expectations in English/language arts, social studies, reading, math and science.
This year's results marked the third straight of overall improvement on the CRCT. Especially noteworthy are continued gains by African-American and Hispanic students, who are narrowing the persistent achievement gap between them and their white classmates.
"The best news in the 2012 CRCT report is that more of our students are exceeding the standards," Barge said. "Teachers are doing a great job teaching the more rigorous Georgia Performance Standards, and they are to be applauded for raising expectations for all students."
Math continues to be a problem. From 2011 to 2012, the percentage of test-takers who did not meet expectations in math rose in grades four, five and eight. Still, Barge points out, more students this year moved from meeting expectations to exceeding expectations in math.
The percentage of test-takers who exceeded expectations in science rose for grades three through eight from 2011 to 2012.
The 2012 CRCT continues the trend toward performance parity between white and minority students.
Among third-graders, for example, Hispanic students fell 1 percent short of the 81 percent of all students who met or exceeded expectations in math in 2012. Four years ago, that gap was 5 percent.
Among fifth-graders, black students fell 5 percent short of the 91 percent of all students who met or exceeded expectations in reading. Five years ago, that gap was 7 percent.
And among eighth-graders, Hispanics were 4 percent shy of the 74 percent of all students who met or exceeded expectations in science. Four years ago, that gap was 12 percent. There was an 18 percent gap between the performance of black eighth-graders and all students in science in 2008. By 2012, that gap had narrowed to 14 percent.
While the state released its CRCT results on Thursday, individual school districts are not expected to follow suit for another couple weeks. Some have the CRCT data, but it is not finalized or broken down.
DeKalb County Schools, however, was one metro Atlanta district that did release its scores on Thursday. Like the statewide scores, those of district students were improved from where they stood last year.
Several grade levels showed improvements in all subject areas in 2012 when compared to performance on the 2011 test. DeKalb sixth-graders made large gains in math and science.
"We credit our teachers, who continue to be focused on improving student success across subject areas," said Walter Woods, chief communications officer for DeKalb County Schools.
School-level CRCT data is not expected to be released until mid-July.
This is the last year CRCT results will mean as much as they do now.
Georgia received a waiver from federal, No Child Left Behind performance accountability standards by agreeing to develop its own accountability system. State officials have said their system, which will be introduced later this year or early next year, will take more factors than the CRCT into consideration in measuring academic performance.
Tim McGoughey, the parent of two students in DeKalb County Schools, said there needs to be some measure of academic performance.
"As a taxpayer, you get an idea of whether you are getting your money's worth," McGoughey said. "As a parent, you get an idea of whether your child is actually learning or is merely attending school."
As for the improving performance of Georgia students on the CRCT, McGoughey said he knows where he wants credit to go.
"It's very important for people to say thank you to the teachers," he said. "Over the last few years, they have had the toughest time, and yet many are still there doing their very best."
About the Author
