MOULTRIE — Last week’s shock has turned into this week’s frustration as local educators learned that dismal scores on the state’s Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), in part due to a difficult transition into new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) in social studies and math, won’t be rescinded or changed. These results could very well affect the status of schools under No Child Left Behind.

“In summary, if the test was an automobile there would be a major recall. The issue would rest clearly with the automobile manufacturer and not with the driver (student) or local dealer (school district),” said Colquitt County Schools Superintendent Leonard McCoy prior to a conference call with State Superintendent Kathy Cox Monday afternoon.

“For the past three years, the state has been implementing a new curriculum — the Georgia Performance Standards. The GPS is more rigorous in all areas. As we have implemented the curriculum, we have created new CRCTs that set higher standards for our students, as well.”

Looking at unofficial numbers, the pass rate in eighth grade math appears to be about 60 percent, Cox said. In Colquitt County, it was 51 percent.

“The 8th grade mathematics GPS — and the CRCT — are very rigorous. For instance, up until last year, only a small number of students were exposed to algebra in grade 8. This year, every 8th grader is taking algebra, as well as statistics and geometry,” Cox said. “When you raise standards and expectations, it is not unusual to see a temporary dip in the percent of students who are meeting those expectations. We have seen this in other grades and other areas of the curriculum. The numbers we are seeing in grade 8 mathematics are generally what we expected.

“We know that our mathematics teachers have worked hard to implement our new curriculum,” she said. “And we know our students are working hard and are challenged by the new content. We also know that some teachers, parents and students are frustrated by these first results.”

Students in grades 5 and 8 must pass the reading and mathematics CRCTs in order to be automatically promoted to the next grade. For those students who failed the math portion, there will be no lowering of the cut off point for scoring. Colquitt County Assistant Superintendent Mo Yearta emphasized that retakes will be offered in June, and summer school will be offered.

“...As Georgians, it is imperative that we are honest about our mathematics achievement. For too long we have had a vast majority of our students performing well on state tests, only to be poorly prepared for national assessments. The result has been low national test scores and, ultimately, students who are not college or work ready,” Cox said. “I know in future years, we will see improved scores in eighth grade mathematics, just like we are seeing in other areas of the new curriculum. And it's important to note that this year's eighth graders are better prepared for high school mathematics than ever before and will be more competitive in the 21st century.”

Regarding the trouble spots of social studies scores in sixth and seventh grades, Cox said she is “fairly certain” that a substantial majority of Georgia’s 6th and 7th grade students did not meet standards. Preliminary reports put the pass rate on these two exams at 20 to 30 percent, she said. In Colquitt County, 24 percent met standards this year compared to 82 percent last year. The worst performance in social studies is in grade 7. Last year’s achievement of 86 percent plummeted to a mere 14 percent. In eighth grade, results are 48 percent meeting standards compared to 82 percent last year

“The dip in the pass rate from previous years is far more dramatic than we have seen in other areas when we have transitioned to the new curriculum. It is cause for concern,” Cox said. “In the next week, I will empanel a group of Georgia teachers and curriculum specialists to review the first-year implementation of our new standards in social studies to figure out what may have caused such poor performance. One area that will be looked at is whether these middle grade social studies standards were clear enough. It appears that the specificity of the test questions may have caught some students off guard. We have to do better with this. We know our social studies teachers care deeply and are working hard. These results are not reflective of their instruction or their effort.”

Yearta, who sat in on the conference call, said that Cox relayed that she was confident that the social studies test had no problems technically, but there appears to be a huge disconnect among the test, the standards and the teaching. The items on the test were aligned to the GPS, she said, but the standards were very broad while the test was specific.

The Georgia Department of Education refused to rescind the scores or move the cut-off for meeting standards in social studies as well, Yearta said.

Looking at Colquitt County scores, no significant changes occurred in reading and English language arts. Overall, gains occurred in grades 1 through 8.

Math took a hit in third grade. Only 71 percent met standards, while 89 percent did last year. In fourth grade, math performance also dropped but not as significantly — from 74 to 67 percent from last year to this.

In fifth grade, math scores dropped from 85 percent to 67 percent meeting standards. In the middle school level, students significantly struggled with the math test in eighth grade. Only 51 percent passed compared to last year’s 81 percent. In seventh grade, there was only a decrease of two points to 74 percent meeting standards, and in sixth grade, there was an increase from 56 to 63 percent.