That has been some of the problem. Some teachers give good grades to some students who can not pass a test! "A"s in school do not necessarily mean you can pass a test. Don't mean to disparage your Grandson, don't know him. However administrators have for years sent kids on to next grade who should not have been.

I think 94% of Fayette students did pass all the tests except for Math which was 85-90 who did pass. That has to indicate that most do pass.

I wouldn't worry about the tests so much. So many of our past leaders and some present were terrible test takers but did fine (CHURCHILL) (BUSH).

I'm not going to jump on the teachers and accuse them of failing our children as Kathy Cox has. I have a lot of respect for what they do and what they have to put up with. As far as the percentages, I want to clear that up. The overall percentage of Fayette County 8th graders that failed the Math portion of the CRCT is 18.7%. Bennett’s Mill had the lowest failure rate at 11.4% and Fayette Middle had the highest with 37.7%. Since Fayette Middle had the highest failure rate, I’ll compare Fayette Middle’s 2008 math failure rate to 2007’s failure rate: 2008 = 37.7%....2007 = 6.6%. That’s a huge difference. Since Bennett’s Mill is a new school, there are no scores from last year. In that case, I’ll use Rising Starr’s failure rate: 2008 = 12.5%......2007 = 1.9%. Again, an obvious increase in the failure rate.

I don’t blame anyone but Kathy Cox. I understand she would like to improve the education system in Georgia, but she’s gone about it the wrong way. I want my kids to be taught everything that can be taught. My kids are smart and learn quickly. I have talked to many parents, students and even a couple of teachers and they ALL agree: If the teachers were prepared to teach the students what they were going to be tested on, these CRCT failure rates would be much lower. I know for a fact of honor students (straight A’s) that failed the math portion of the test. You don’t become an honor student by having A’s handed to you. You earn it. And to be slapped in the face by the state board of education by failing a test that has material on it that was never taught is appalling. Too many kids have had the burden of not knowing whether or not they are going to be allowed to go to high school or not. This is supposed to be the best time of their lives. In my opinion, their summer break has been ruined.

Kathy Cox is as stubborn as a mule (as the old saying goes). She was slightly embarrassed by the social studies results (Fayette County had a 45.9% failure rate for all middle school grades). So, with her social studies teaching background (at McIntosh no less) she decides that the scores were invalid and throws them out. I can only imagine how that would have reflected on her when she decides to get out of the political ring and, God forbid, teach again. Probably wouldn’t look very good on her resume if over half of the state’s middle school students fail a CRCT test on a subject that she is supposed to be an expert on. The low math scores won’t hurt her since she won’t be trying to teach math any time soon. So she decides to keep those scores and force thousands of students across the state to have to attend summer remedial classes and retake the math portion of the CRCT.

Of course, all of this is just my opinion, but at least I can back up my opinion with facts.

How do 80-85% pass the test?

Isn't that pretty standard with honest exams?

Everyone need not pass or they are too easy!

How will we ever improve the learning if we don't demand more?

One does not "teach the tests."

...but they obviously show YOUR lack of education. You don't "teach the tests". I never said that and neither did any of the parents and teachers I talked to. Let me explain it in terms you can understand. See if you can follow me. Try hard now. Ready? Here we go…You teach a child a certain topic. Hopefully that child learns what’s being taught. Follow me? Once that child is taught the topic, you review the topic. Still following me? I don’t want to lose you…Then…are you ready for this? You test the child on the topic. It’s not complicated!! You see, what’s happened here is that the teachers weren’t given the proper material to teach. They taught what they assumed was the correct curriculum. Kids made good grades. Everything’s going good. Then it’s CRCT time! No pressure. All you have to do is pass ONE test and you can go to high school. Gee, since the kids were taught well and received good grades, everything should go well, right? WRONG! Seems the state board of education prepared the testing material on topics that were never taught. Hmm…sounds pretty unfair to me.

Is that too much information for you to understand? I don’t want to overheat your brain…

Isn't it amazing that the majority DID PASS the test without even having been taught the test!

You apparently are the one in a fog!

No sense arguing with you. I've made my point. You'll figure it out sooner or later.

Have a nice day!

And what point did you make?
Most passed, someone I know didn't?

Isn't that the way we improve for the future---some do better than others and sets up a goal?

I understand what you're saying. I know I'm partial, but my grandchild doesn't fall into this category. This child has NEVER failed any portion of any standardized test. How can you pass a test when the material was never taught? I want to make this clear, I am not blaming the teachers.

Kathy Cox threw out the social studies portion of the test. What was wrong there? How much is this costing taxpayers for these kids to attend summer classes to learn this math? How about all of the gas used to take these kids to Booth? I believe these are legitimate questions.

I think the percent who passed the math portion is much less than 85%.

BTW I said grandchild not grandson.

You can look up what schools passed the test with what opercentge.

AJC CRCT tests as key words.

My point again is that more passed it than failed it! Taught or not! I don't know about that part.

That maybe is the difference in some people who are good test takers and some who simply have good logic. Either way it doesn't make either one better than the other!

That has been some of the problem. Some teachers give good grades to some students who can not pass a test! "A"s in school do not necessarily mean you can pass a test. Don't mean to disparage your Grandson, don't know him. However administrators have for years sent kids on to next grade who should not have been.

I think 94% of Fayette students did pass all the tests except for Math which was 85-90 who did pass. That has to indicate that most do pass.

I wouldn't worry about the tests so much. So many of our past leaders and some present were terrible test takers but did fine (CHURCHILL) (BUSH).

Notice how they both deflect from their pathetic records by blaming others for their inept leadership and performances? The similarities are uncanny. Is that a Fayette County GOP Type Of Thang?

________

"That man was Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Scott Ballard".

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