Friday, September 27, 2002

Fulton County students top state in CRCT scores

For every year since the test began, Fulton County students have outperformed their state peers on the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The recently released 2002 scores continue that trend with Fulton's scores besting the state mean average at each grade level; fourth, sixth, and eighth, and test area; reading, English/language arts, and math.

Fulton continued to improve its scores in all areas from the previous year, with the exception of eighth grade reading. No schools performed in Level 1 in all three test areas, an improvement over 2001 when one school performed in Level 1 in all three areas, and in 2000 when four schools performed in Level 1 in all three areas.

The CRCT, introduced in 2000, measures how well students are learning the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum in the subject areas of reading, English/language arts, math, social studies, and science.

Georgia law requires that all students in grades one through eight take the CRCT in the areas of reading, English/language arts, and mathematics. Students in grades three through eight also are assessed in science and social studies, with those results to be reported from the state in the coming weeks. The test was administered last spring.

CRCT scores are reported as Levels in a range of 300 to 400. Level 1 (300 or below) indicates students do not yet meet expectations. Students scoring at Level 2 (300 to 349) meet the state's expectation of being on grade level, and students at Level 3 (300 and above) exceed expectations, or are above grade level.

Only fourth, sixth, and eighth grade scores in the areas of reading, English/language arts, and math are included in this report.

2002 Highlights

·Fulton County continues for the third year to be higher than the state in the "Meets" or "Exceeds" levels for grades four, six, and eight in reading, English/language arts, and math.

·Sixth grade students scored the highest gains in English/language arts with 7 percent more students scoring in Levels 2 and 3 than the previous year.

·Fourth grade students scored the highest gains in reading with 6 percent more students scoring in Levels 2 and 3.

·In reading, all schools have at least 57 percent of the students at Levels 2 or 3 showing improvement over last year.

Twenty elementary schools have 90 percent of the students in Levels 2 and 3 and the majority of middle schools have 90 percent of students in Levels 2 and 3.

·Three south Fulton schools ­ Parklane ES, Conley Hills ES, and Stonewall Tell ES ­ posted more than 15 percent gain in Levels 2 and 3 in reading.

·Thirteen schools have more than 95 percent of their students in Levels 2 and 3 in reading ­ Alpharetta ES, Medlock Bridge ES, Northwood ES, Shakerag ES, Crabapple Crossing ES, Summit Hill ES, Lake Windward ES, Mountain Park ES, New Prospect ES, Northwestern MS, Taylor Road MS, River Trail