Friday, November 22, 2002

Fulton CRCT test scores above state average

Results from the recently-released Criterion Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) show that Fulton County students, as a whole, are consistently performing better than state averages in grades four, six, and eight in reading, English/language arts, and math.

Fulton students also surpassed the state averages in all areas in grade levels tested.

The full battery of the CRCT was administered last spring to students in grades one through eight.

In the grade levels new to CRCT testing, the majority of Fulton schools showed results higher than the state average in all areas. In grades three through eight, where students also were tested for the first time in social studies and science, Fulton County students reported scores higher than the state average in all 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. The test was administered last spring.

The CRCT is reported in scale scores which are categorized 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.