Metro Atlanta students’ success on the state’s mandatory reading test didn’t change much from last year, but there was wide variation in math results, according to the latest results on the Criterion Referenced Competency Tests.
The Georgia Department of Education released school district results Wednesday on the statewide tests taken this spring.
In the core metro Atlanta school districts, pass rates on the crucial reading portion of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests didn’t budge much from last year, though a few districts saw slight increases. Gwinnett and Cobb had some of the best reading results among metro districts, with 90 percent or more of test-takers in grades three through eight meeting or exceeding the state standards.
Students had less success in math, with the percentage of test-takers who passed ranging down to the 60s in some districts. There was also more variation from last year than there was in reading. Clayton results stood out: the district had a 9 percentage point drop in the pass rate among fifth graders and nearly a 6 percentage point drop among eighth graders.
More than 90 percent of Atlanta Public School students in grades six through eight passed reading, but nearly a third of the district’s third grade students failed math.
A passing score in the reading portion of the CRCTs is required to move automatically to the next grade for students in third, fifth and eighth grade. Students in fifth and eighth grade must also pass math.
The tests have been used for years to measure the performance of school districts and their schools. Statewide results were released earlier this month. The school-level results are expected in July. This was the last administration of the CRCTs, which will be replaced with a new exam, Georgia Milestones, in the upcoming school year.
State schools Superintendent John Barge praised the reading results.
“Reading is truly foundational to learning, so those increases in students exceeding standards are encouraging to see,” he said. “As we transition to tests that more accurately reflect our standards — and the emphasis those standards place on critical thinking and comprehension — students’ reading abilities will help them to excel.”
Atlanta Public Schools
The percentage of Atlanta Public Schools students passing high-stakes state reading and math tests in grades 3, 5, and 8 in general showed little change this year compared to last. That largely mirrors the two-year statewide trend.
State reading and math tests in grades 3, 5, and 8 are considered high-stakes because passing reading in 3rd grade and reading and math in 5th and 8th grades is generally required for promotion to the next grade.
APS passing rates in math continue to lag significantly behind passing rates for reading. That’s also in line with statewide trends. This year, nearly a quarter of APS 5th graders failed the state math test, compared to about 10 percent in reading.
And APS passing rates for non-high stakes tests—social studies, science, and English language arts—are significantly below those for reading and math.
But over the past four years, APS has seen increases in the percentages of students passing reading and math tests and other subjects in most grades. That too is similar to the state trend, though APS passing rates continue to lag the state average across the board.
“We’re seeing some improvement over one year,” APS Testing and Assessment Director Joe Blessing said. “We’re pleased with our improvement over three years. But Atlanta public schools definitely has a long way to go.”
Cobb County schools
The percentage of Cobb students meeting or exceeding the high-stakes state reading and math tests showed little change between this year and last — largely mirroring the two-year statewide trend.
More than 94 percent of third grade students in Cobb met or exceeded the state’s reading standards for this school year, while in fifth grade the number was 96.6. For eighth grade, it was about 98. All grades scored slightly higher than in 2013.
In math, nearly 84 percent of third grade students met or exceeded the state’s math standards for this school year, compared to 82 in 2013. In fifth grade, it was around 90 in 2014, down nearly two percentage points from the previous year. For eighth grade, the number for this year was 87, down more than a percentage point.
The CRCT, which will be replaced by a new standardized test next spring, is administered in grades three through eight in reading, English/language arts, math, science and social studies.
State reading and math tests in grades 3, 5, and 8 are considered high-stakes because passing them is generally required for promotion to the next grade.
The Georgia Department of Education has posted the results on its website. Return to ajc.com for updates.
Staff writer Molly Bloom and Rose French contributed to this story.