Rockdale County Public Schools students performed well over the state in every category of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests but had mixed results compared to their scores last year.

In reading, RCPS students beat the state average by at least 2 percentage points in each grade. The percent of students meeting or exceeding the standard for 2012 were:
Grade 3: RCPS – 93.3, Ga. – 90.6
Grade 4: RCPS – 92.4, Ga. – 90.16
Grade 5: RCPS – 95, Ga. – 91.49
Grade 6: RCPS – 98.3, Ga. – 95.97
Grade 7: RCPS –96.3, Ga. – 93.99
Grade 8: RCPS – 98.2, Ga. – 95.91

In math, RCPS students did even better over the state average, in some grades by more than 6 percentage points. Percents meeting or exceeding the standard were:
Grade 3: RCPS – 87.6, Ga. – 80.97
Grade 4: RCPS – 84.4, Ga. – 80.21
Grade 5: RCPS – 88.1, Ga. – 83.68
Grade 6: RCPS – 83.8, Ga. – 79.94
Grade 7: RCPS – 95.1, Ga. – 91
Grade 8: RCPS – 80.1, Ga. – 76.65

But compared to last year’s RCPS scores, students fared better and worse.

In reading, compared to last year’s unofficial scores, RCPS increased in grades 6-8 but decreased for grades 3-5.

In math, RCPS saw a slight improvement in grade 3, a drop in grade 4 and 5, a little bump in grade 6, a healthy gain in grade 7, and flat in grade 8.

Rich Autry, the Superintendent-select and current Chief Academic Officer, said in a released statement, “Overall, we are pleased with the initial results of the 2011-12 CRCT administration. The percentage of RCPS students meeting and/or exceeding standards was above the state average in all grades and all subject areas. We were particularly excited that all grade levels (3-8) exceeded the 90 percent goal in both reading and language arts. This strong performance is a testament to the quality teachers we have in our classrooms and the hard work and effort put forth by our students.”

“The best news in the 2012 CRCT report is that more of our students are exceeding the standards,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge in a released statement. “Teachers are doing a great job teaching the more rigorous Georgia Performance Standards and they are to be applauded for raising expectations for all students.”

These scores do not include retest scores, which will be released later in the year. School-specific test scores will also be released at a later time.

The state was recently granted a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act, in which the CRCTs were used as part of the determination to see if school systems and schools made Adequate Yearly Progress. The state is currently in a "hold harmless" pattern this year during the transition to the new system, which includes the Career and College Readiness Index. Standardized testing such as the CRCT will still be a factor in the new rubric, which is a compliation of many factors and holds different possible status labels for schools based on subgroup performance, but will not carry as much weight.