Schools show CRCT improvement

Students in first through eighth grade are given the CRCT each spring to test their knowledge of the state’s curriculum, called the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS).

According to school-level CRCT results, 90.3 percent of third graders at South Jackson Elementary School and 87.5 percent of third graders at East Jackson Elementary School passed the reading test. The state average was 90. The Georgia Department of Education didn’t provide more detailed percentages of statewide results this year.

In fifth grade reading, 88.5 percent of students at SJES passed the CRCT — compared to 90 percent statewide. All of other schools in the county surpassed the state’s average passing rate of 82 percent on the fifth grade math exam.

In eighth grade reading, 95.6 percent of students at West Jackson Middle School passed the test and 94.7 percent of students at Commerce Middle School passed. The state average, however, was 95 percent.

All schools in the county exceeded the state passing average of 74 percent in eighth grade math.

Since the state switched its curriculum from the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) to the GPS in 2008 for eighth grade math, most local schools have made substantial gains.

In 2008, only 54.1 percent of eighth graders at Kings Bridge Middle School passed the math portion of the CRCT. That year, the statewide passing average was 62.1 percent. This year, that figure jumped to 81.7 percent at KBMS with the state passing rate at 74 percent for eighth grade math.

Overall, however, students continue to have lower passing rates in math, science and social studies than those in reading and English/Language Arts.

For the full story, see the Jackson Herald print or e-editions.