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State throws out CRCT results

Social studies tests for 6th- and 7th-graders were flawed.

By Laura Diamond

Results from the state social studies exams sixth- and seventh-graders took earlier this year will be thrown out because of problems that caused the majority of students to fail, state Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox announced her decision Wednesday afternoon in a letter to local school superintendents.

Scores from the eighth-grade math exam -- which students must pass to move to high school -- will stand, even though about 40 percent of test-takers failed.

Students took new, harder tests this year to correspond with the state's more rigorous curriculum in math and social studies. Cox said it's common for tests scores to drop with a new test and explained students' math scores on the state test correspond with how Georgia children have performed on national exams.

But Cox was shocked by the awful social studies results. Only 20 to 30 percent of the students passed, according to preliminary results. "Simply, the performance appears to be implausibly low, which raised serious questions," Cox wrote.

There would have been no consequences for students who failed the social studies exam. Official scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests are expected next month.

Teachers and students have said exam questions didn't match what was taught in class. Students took the exams earlier this spring.

Cox acknowledged a disconnect between the standards, the test questions and what teachers taught. She plans to ask a group of teachers and other experts to review the test and new standards to determine what went wrong.

The committee will have the authority to rewrite the new curriculum, which was approved by the State Board of Education in 2004. The panel may also suggest changes to the test.

Cox wrote there was nothing wrong with the scoring of the tests.

"This decision is based primarily on the conviction that we need to revise the curriculum and the assessments to better evaluate the knowledge and skills that represent student achievement in social studies," she wrote.

Tests scores plummeted this year in math and social studies. Last year about 83 percent of the sixth-graders and 86 percent of the seventh-graders passed the social studies CRCT test, according to state figures. About 81 percent of eighth-graders passed the math test last year.

Parents whose children failed the math tests will be notified by local schools. Students can retake the math tests this summer. Schools will provide free voluntary classes to get them ready. Families with vacation plans can download study guides and other materials from the state Web site.

Practice quiz questions from a state-issued 2008 CRCT prep guide for eighth-grade math:

Tammy is 2 years older than twice the age of her brother. The sum of their ages is 17. If x represents the age of her brother, which equation represents this situation?

* A 2x + 2 = 17
* B 2(x + 2) = 17
* C x + 2(x + 2) = 17
* D x + (2x + 2) = 17

Correct answer: D

Eva transports camping tents across a lake using a boat that can hold a maximum of 1,000 pounds. Eva weighs 100 pounds, and each tent weighs 50 pounds. The inequality below can be used to find the number of tents, t, the boat can hold while Eva is onboard.

50t + 100 [is less than or equal to] 1,000

What is the maximum number of tents the boat can hold with Eva onboard?

* A 17
* B 18
* C 19
* D 22

Correct answer: B

John gets price quotes from two different lawn-mowing services for the cost of mowing the field next to his house. Company A charges $8 plus an additional $5 per hour. Company B charges $2 plus an additional $6 per hour. The price quote for each company is the same amount. How many hours do the companies estimate it will take to mow the field?

* A 6
* B 10
* C 21
* D 38

Correct answer: A

A bakery sells chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cakes. All of the cakes are filled with either fruit or cream AND topped with either glaze or powdered sugar. How many different types of cakes does the bakery sell?

* A 7
* B 9
* C 12
* D 24

Correct answer: C

— Laura Diamond
Atlanta Journal Constitution
2008-05-21


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