Math scores attained by Fayette

County's fourth and sixth graders in the first-ever Georgia Criterion-Referenced

Competency Tests have administrators, math teachers and parents questioning

why the numbers drop once elementary students hit middle school.

A Peachtree City resident and

parent of two sons, George Fox, stated in a letter to the editor Oct.

4, "Where sixth graders are entering middle schools with anywhere

from 25 to 48 percent in the top ranks, they leave the same schools ranked

a disappointing 22 to 29 percent. It's either a teacher problem or a curriculum

problem."

Kay Seabolt, math coordinator

for Fayette County schools, responded by saying, "Like anything else,

there's not a quick explanation. On the in-service day, [Fri. Oct. 20],

all the schools will take their results and analyze them. We want to take

the time to thoroughly study the issue; we're not taking it lightly."

One explanation which may be

given is the material covered in the eighth grade test. According to Seabolt,

the CRCT tested eighth graders on general math, while most students are

studying pre-algebra or algebra at that grade level.

"It may be time to go

back and freshen their memories," she added, noting that the CRCT

test's concepts include the names of geometric solids, which eighth graders

may not have used in a number of years.

Seabolt said she and staff

will also be taking a closer look at the state's Quality Core Curriculum

objectives and how each grade's math curriculum may be overlapping.

While the overall results of

Fayette County's middle schoolers exceeded the state's level of performance,

the margin was not great, indicating a need for review, she said.

The CRCT was administered to

students in grades four, six and eight last spring to measure how well

they were learning and how well teachers are teaching the subject matter

contained in the QCC, which was revised in 1997. The tests are part of

Gov. Roy Barnes' master plan for school improvement.