The state released its Criterion Referenced Competency Test scores for the Newton County School System and the majority of schools saw increases in math and reading.

First through eighth grade students take the CRCTs, but only third, fifth and eighth-graders are required to pass certain portions of the tests in order to advance to the next grade. Third grade students must pass the reading test to advance, while fifth and eighth graders must pass the reading and math portions.

Students are also tested in English-language arts, science and social studies.

Third Graders
The overall reading scores increased slightly, and 4.6 percent more students met or exceeded standards from 2009, increasing the number to 89.4 percent of all third graders.

In its first year, the Fairview Elementary Theme School had 100 percent of its third graders pass the reading CRCT.
South Salem, Ficquett and Mansfield elementary schools saw their scores decrease, with Ficquett experiencing the largest drop of 6.7 percent.

Middle Ridge Elementary saw the largest increase in students passing, rising 15.3 percent to 84.8 percent of all students.

Fifth Graders

Reading

Newton County fifth graders scored slightly lower on their 2010 reading CRCT scores from last year. The total percentage of students who met or exceeded expectations dropped by 1.2 percent to 86.7 percent.

In its first year, Clements Theme School had 84.1 percent of its students meet or exceed expectations.

Scores barely decreased at East Newton, West Newton and Palmer Stone elementary schools; however, Middle Ridge Elementary dropped by 3.4 percent to 79 percent of its students passing.

The largest increase was South Salem Elementary which improved its scores by 14 percent to 92.7 percent.

Math

While fifth graders scored worse in reading, they improved their math scores. An additional 8.4 percent of students passed the math CRCT, for a total of 78.2 percent.

Middle Ridge Elementary had a small decrease, while Porterdale dropped by 10.9 percent to 53.5 percent.

South Salem Elementary again had the largest increase, jumping 16.7 percent to 90.5 percent of its fifth graders meeting or exceeding expectations.

Eighth Graders

Reading

Local eighth graders slightly improved their reading scores and an additional 2.6 percent of them met or exceeded expectations, for a total of 94.5 percent. Every single school listed scored higher in its eighth grade reading scores.

In Liberty Middle School's first year, 95.3 percent of its eighth graders passed their CRCTs. Challenge Charter Academy had the largest increase at 25.9 percent to 87 percent of its total students passing.

Math

Eight grade math was another unanimous bright spot for the NCSS as every school increased its percentage of students passing, and overall scores increased. A total of 69.5 percent of students passed, up 6.6 percent from last year.

In Liberty Middle School's first year it had 56.8 of its students pass the math CRCT. Again, Charter Challenge Academy had the largest increase, rising from 0 percent to 26.1 percent of student meeting or exceeding expectations.

Cousins Middle School increased its pass rate 20.6 percent, up to 75.1 percent.

These results often will indicate whether a school has passed Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); those results are normally released in the fall.