What is the purpose of the CRCT?

The CRCT is designed to measure how well students acquire the skills and knowledge described in the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). The assessments yield information on academic achievement at the student, class, school, system, and state levels. This information is used to diagnose individual student strengths and weaknesses as related to the instruction of the GPS, and to gauge the quality of education throughout Georgia.

What content areas and grade levels are tested?

Georgia law, as amended by the A+ Education Reform Act of 2000, requires that all students in grades one through eight take the CRCT in the content areas of reading, English/language arts, and mathematics. Students in grades three through eight are also assessed in science and social studies. The CRCT only assesses the content standards outlined in the GPS.

Due to budget constraints, the CRCT will not be administered in grades one and two in spring 2012.

When was the CRCT implemented?

The CRCT was implemented in spring 2000. That year, summative, end-of-year assessments in reading, English/language arts, and mathematics were administered in grades four, six, and eight. Assessments in science and social studies (grades three through eight) were administered for the first time in spring 2002. Additionally, assessments in reading, English/language arts, and mathematics were administered in grades one, two, three, five, and seven in spring 2002.

How is content tested?

Currently, the mandated end-of-year assessments contain selected-response items only; however, a small number of constructed-response items may be included in subsequent years.

How does the CRCT differ from a norm-referenced test (NRT)?

Criterion-referenced tests, such as the CRCT, are designed to measure how well students acquire, learn, and accomplish the knowledge and skills set forth in a specific curriculum or unit of instruction. The CRCT, therefore, is specifically intended to test Georgia's performance/content standards outlined in the GPS. Norm-referenced tests (NRT), such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), measure instructional standards commonly taught throughout the entire United States of America. Additionally, NRTs highlight differences between and among students across an achievement continuum.

Are state, system, and school disaggregated reports of CRCT results provided?

Yes. The contractor provides paper and electronic disaggregated reports at the state, system, and school levels. These reports provide student performance information for the following categories: All Students, All Regular Program Students (subcategories include Section 504, Limited English Proficient, and All Others), All Special Education Students (subcategories include primary classification/disability - i.e., visual impairment, learning disabilities, etc.), Gender, and Race/Ethnicity. These data are reported for grades one through eight in reading, English/language arts, and mathematics, and grades three through eight in science and social studies.

What steps did the state take to ensure the age appropriateness of the CRCT for grades 1 and 2?

In order to obtain the most reliable and accurate test results from younger students, the state looked at how other states assessed students in the early grades and at the procedures identified by educational research as the most important to follow. Key factors taken into consideration include number of answer choices, breaks during testing, and having certain aspects of the assessments read to the students by the teacher.

As part meeting federal requirements for state standards and assessments systems, the CRCT was peer reviewed by a team of external experts in the fields of standards and assessments. This team was convened by the US Department of Education and considered evidence in the following areas: content and academic achievement standards; technical quality; alignment; inclusion; and scoring and reporting. The CRCT was found to meet nationally recognized professional and technical standards for assessment programs.