CRCT

These last several weeks have been filled with all kinds of emotions....

Joy

Anticipation

Disappointment

Frustration

Shock

Anger

Relief

And I'm not just talking about school ending and all that brings with it. I'm talking about taking the CRCT and waiting for the results.

This has been the first year the State of Georgia has implemented the new curriculum in Math and Social Studies and with the new curriculum came all of the emotions described above. Working in the school has allowed me up close access to the teachers....how they teach...what they experience...and how they handle different situations. It's been a wonderful opportunity.

The students took the State mandated CRCT in April...and the anxiety surrounding the test was so thick, it could be cut with a knife. Teachers weren't sure how the kids were going to do....and the kids weren't sure how they were going to do.

The results came back a couple of weeks ago and the numbers were surprising to say the least. The 6th and 7th grade Social Studies test scores had dropped so significantly, parents, teachers and administrators were up in arms....demanding that the State review the test and the standards and investigate the problem. To give some background information....in 2007, 83 percent of 6th graders passed the Social Studies portion of the test. In 2008, only 29 percent passed. Huh? In 2007, 86 percent of 7th graders passed the SS portion....in 2008, only 24 percent passed. This historic drop is what caused the State to stand up and take notice.

As a result, the scores of the Social Studies test have been completely invalidated and the curriculum and test will be re-evaluated this summer.

We received our kids scores this week and since I have both a 6th and a 7th grader, I was most interested in how they did.

I must have children more brilliant than I thought, because both of my middle schoolers met the standards set by the State. And Daniel was within a dozen points of Exceeding the Standard on the Social Studies test. Wow.

All four of our children exceeded the standards in several of the subjects....or came within a few points of exceeding and met the standards in everything else. All of their scores were well above average. Praise the Lord!

I am humbled by this....With as busy as our kids are...(I have been criticized that we are too busy)...our children still excel in school.

And it is all for the glory of the Lord.

His grace truly is amazing!