From BainbridgeGa.com
Hello Atlanta, You have a Problem (CRCT)
By
May 16, 2008, 02:00
More than half of Georgia 8th grade students have failed their CRCT math test, based on Dr Suzy Bonifay's unofficial survey of counterparts around the state.
Dr Bonifay addressed the Decatur County Board of Education Thursday night giving them the results of our CRCT tests. Included in what was otherwise positive scores were;
Only 18% passed the 6th grade CRCT Social Studies Test
Only 22% passed the 7th grade CRCT Social Studies Test
Only 50% passed the 8th grade CRCT Math Test
Dr Bonifay made it quite clear that the problem is not with our students, our teachers or our school leaders.
"Obviously when you've got more than 80% of the kids in the state failing 6th and 7th grade social studies tests, you've got a problem with the test." she said.
She went on, "We have students making A's and B's in classes, have passed all our benchmark tests, and have failed this test."
Dr Suzy Bonifay is not only our Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Curriculum & Instruction, but is a 2 term president of the Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors and the president elect of the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders.
To say she is concerned is an understatement.
"The Department of Education can investigate, they can issue statements across all the school systems, but nothing they could do for me will repair the damage that they have already done." Dr Bonifay stated.
"Teachers have been demoralized, students have been devastated, and yes, we have had parents cry this week." she continued.
Dr Bonifay stated the state people have been locked up all week. "They have not really been responding to many telephone calls." Dr Bonifay stated. "They're trying to do some damage control. They have a problem."
She told the Board that they had been promised a response to the superintendents by Thursday afternoon, but as of 6 pm there was no comment from the Department of Education.
Usually there are about 200 students in 6th, 7th and 8th grade summer school. There are 209 children that failed the math test in 8th grade alone.
She explained that the School system has scrambled to find a solution.
Students have been regrouped and all the math teachers have pulled together. They are running a math boot camp for 5 hours a day this week and next. The students that failed this test are being remediated and on the first day of summer school they will be re-tested.
"There is no way I am asking a kid that scored an A in math class and passed all our local benchmark assessments, to go to summer school for 4 weeks because they should not have failed this test-especially when the state can not tell me what the problem is." Dr Bonifay emphatically explained to the Board.
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