The Fayette Citizen-News Page

Wednesday, November 6, 2002

Fayette students get 'A' on big test

By MONROE ROARK
mroark@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayette County's public school students posted impressive numbers as a group in recent results from the state's 2002 Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests.

More than 90 percent of Fayette's students are meeting or exceeding the standard in all curriculum areas tested under the CRCT, according to numbers released last week by the Fayette County School System.

"We are very pleased that the Fayette County Schools continue to be in the top percentage in student performance," said assistant superintendent of education Stuart Bennett. "It has always been the goal of the school system to have all of our students achieve at or above grade level and we will continue to work towards this goal."

The CRCT tests students on their knowledge of Georgia's Quality Core Curriculum. Student scores are placed in one of three categories for each content area: does not meet the standard, meets the standard, exceeds the standard.

In comparison to state averages in the "meets" and "exceeds" categories combined, Fayette's students scored an average of 10 percent higher in all grade levels and curriculum areas. Two exceptions are sixth-grade science, where both Fayette's students and the state averaged 83 percent in science, and in sixth-grade social studies, where Fayette's score (81 percent) was one point higher than the state. Those were also the only two categories in which scores were below the 90 percent threshold.

Last spring, Georgia students in grades 1-8 took tests in reading, English/language arts and mathematics. Prior to 2002, only students in grades four, six and eight had been tested in these areas. Students in grades 3-8 also took tests in science and social studies for the first time in 2002.

Fayette's test results for science and social studies in grades 3-8 are included below, as well as results for reading, English/language arts, and mathematics in grades one, two, three, five and seven. Fourth, sixth and eighth grade CRCT test scores in reading, English/language arts and math were released and published last month.

Here are the percentages of all Fayette students meeting or exceeding the standard in 2002:

Reading: first grade, 94 percent; second grade, 94 percent; third grade, 91 percent; fifth grade, 92 percent; seventh grade, 95 percent.

English/language arts: first grade, 93 percent; second grade, 93 percent; third grade, 92 percent; fifth grade, 92 percent; seventh grade, 93 percent.

Mathematics: first grade, 94 percent; second grade, 95 percent; third grade, 93 percent; fifth grade, 92 percent; seventh grade, 91 percent.

Science: third grade, 90 percent; fourth grade, 95 percent; fifth grade, 95 percent; sixth grade, 83 percent; seventh grade, 95 percent; eighth grade, 91 percent.

Social studies: third grade, 92 percent; fourth grade, 94 percent; fifth grade, 94 percent; sixth grade, 81 percent; seventh grade, 95 percent; eighth grade, 93 percent.