The Cherokee County School District released the following statement about the district's performance on the CRCT. 

Cherokee County School District students continued to exceed State performance averages on the 2012 Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Tests (GCRCT) which were administered this spring; and every CCSD school saw improvements in scores in one or more grade levels and/or subject areas.

The GCRCTs, which are used to assess the Georgia Performance Standards, are administered in Grades 3-8 in the subjects of Reading, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. The scores are reported as percentages of students who Exceed, Meet or Do Not Meet standards.

The attached charts report the scores of all CCSD 2011-12 third through eighth-grade students and show a comparison to the State average scores. These results do not reflect the second administration of GCRCT held the last week of school for students who were unsuccessful on the first assessment, as those results have not yet been released by the State.

Passage of the Third, Fifth and Eighth Grade GCRCT Reading tests and passage of the Fifth and Eighth Grade GCRCT Mathematics tests are factors used to determine if students will be promoted to the next grade.

• Of 2,887 students participating in the Third Grade GCRCT Reading test, 96% passed on the first administration.
• Of 2,934 students participating in the Fifth Grade GCRCT Reading test, 96% passed on the first administration; for the Fifth Grade GCRCT Mathematics test, 88% passed on the first administration.
• Of 2,827 students participating in the Eighth Grade GCRCT Reading test, 99% passed on the first administration; for the Eighth Grade GCRCT Mathematics test, 89% passed on the first administration.

In all of the GCRCT subject areas, CCSD had a higher percentage of students to Exceed or Meet standards than the State; and the percentage of students who exceeded standards topped the State by an average of 13 percentage points. CCSD also increased its percentageof students exceeding standards in 20 of 30 possible categories. Third-grade and sixth-grade scores saw the biggest increases in students moving from Meets to Exceeds across subject areas.

All CCSD schools saw gains in the percentage of students who scored at the Exceeds or Meets standards level, and several schools saw significant movement of percentage points from Does Not Meet to Meets or Exceeds standards in various subjects and grades: Hickory Flat ES, 15 subjects and three grades; Knox ES, 13 subjects and four grades; Freedom MS, 12 subjects and three grades; Macedonia ES, 12 subjects and three grades; and Hasty ES, 10 subjects and three grades.

CCSD saw minor fluctuations of 1 to 2 percentage points in overall Meets and Exceeds totals (increasing or holding steady in 18 categories); greatest gains were seen in Eighth- Grade Social Studies and Science, where percentages increased 4 and 5 points respectively. Mirroring the Statewide results for 2012, Fifth-Grade Mathematics Meets and Exceeds percentages dropped 4 points from 92 percent to 88 percent (the same level as 2009 and 2010).

It should be noted that CCSD students continued to achieve success despite increasing challenges: diminishing State and Local funding for education and climbing student enrollment, which have led to larger class sizes, and changing demographics. It should also be noted that the percentage of CCSD students who receive free or reduced-price lunch has increased from 19 percent in 2004 to 31 percent today.

GCRCT results are being analyzed at the district and school level to identify areas for improvement and to develop intervention plans, where necessary. CCSD Principals will review their scores and coordinate improvement with their leadership and data management teams and classroom teachers.

Tools for improvement include, but are not limited to: developing individualized learning plans for students not performing on or above grade level on the GCRCT; providing individualized, accelerated or additional instruction as needed in GCRCT subjects; and utilizing available computer software and the CRCT Online Assessment System to provide students with individualized practice and assessments.

While the State’s approved waiver has resulted in the Federal government finally freeing our schools and students from the unfair labels associated with the No Child Left Behind Act, the GCRCT continues to provide our educators with a statewide benchmark to track student learning. We are proud of our students and teachers for their progress and success on these challenging tests, and are determined to provide all of the support they need to chart a path to even greater heights!

Cherokee Charter Academy principal Vanessa Suarez is unavailable until July 9. Patch will bring you that school's results later.