It’s white-knuckle time for many of Coweta’s students this week.

Retesting was completed this work for more than 750 students who didn’t meet expectations on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) that were given to students this spring. If the students don’t meet expectations, they won’t advance to the next grade this fall.

According to the Department of Education’s Web site, the tests are based on the state’s Quality Core Curriculum and are used to measure the knowledge and skills taught in the classroom.

School Public Information Officer Dean Jackson said the school system has seen a dramatic increase in the number of students who didn’t pass the test this year.

“Last year, we had 74 students who didn’t pass it in third grade. This year, the number jumped to 206 students. In fifth grade, the number rose from 162 to 242 students,” Jackson said.

The system also had nearly 300 students that didn’t pass the eighth grade test. This is the first year the program applies to middle school students.

Jackson said the school system should get results from the retest shortly after the July 4 holiday and then will be able to fully plan for the upcoming school year.

“This really affects everything, including our transportation routing, so we’ll be glad when the results are in,” he said.

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