In the spring

of 2002, Georgia students in grades one through eight took the CRCT in

the content areas of reading, English/language arts and mathematics. Students

in grades three through eight also took the science and social studies

content area tests. However, only the results for grades four, six and

eight in the areas of reading, English/language arts and mathematics have

been released at this time. The remaining scores are scheduled for release

later this month.

The CRCT tests

students on their knowledge of Georgia's Quality Core Curriculum (QCC).

Student scores are placed in one of three categories for each content

test area: does not meet standard, meets standard and exceeds standard.

These standards represent what Georgia educators expect students to know

and be able to do at the end of the school year with respect to the QCC.

Compared to

last year's results, Fayette's scores show a decrease in the "does

not meet standard" category (except in eighth grade reading which

increased from 5 to 9 percent while still remaining dramatically below

the state's 20 percent average).

Almost all

subject areas across grade levels four, six and eight saw a substantial

percentage of students move from the "meets" to "exceeds"

standard. Sixth grade reading and English/language arts saw the largest

increase with students scoring 66 and 40 percent, respectively, in the

"exceeds" category resulting in a 10 percent gain in each area.

Fourth grade

English/language arts had a one-percent drop in the "exceeds"

standard (26 percent) from last year while gaining two percentage points

in the "meets" standard (63 percent). The "exceeds"

standard in eighth grade reading dropped 11 percent (60 percent) while

gaining seven percentage points in the "meets" category (30

percent). However, both grades scored well above the state's "exceeds"

percentages in their respective areas with Georgia's fourth grade students

earning a score of 15 percent in English/language arts compared to Fayette's

26 percent and the state's eighth grade students scoring 43 percent in

reading in comparison to the county's 60 percent.

In math, all

grade levels in Fayette experienced a shift in students moving from the

"does not meet" and "meets" standard to the "exceeds"

category. Both fourth and sixth grade students gained six percentage points

in the "exceeds" standard for respective scores of 34 and 45

percent while eighth graders had an increase of seven percent for an overall

score of 33 percent.

"Our scores

show that Fayette's teachers are following the state's curriculum closely,"

said Stuart Bennett, assistant superintendent of education. "While

we are pleased with the increase in our scores, we are going to be working

closely with the two grade level areas that saw a decrease in order to

help them improve. We will also continue to seek ways to help all of our

students increase their performance levels."