Articles

Reading Scores Better For 3rd-Graders

Bridget Gutierrez, AJC Staff
June 3, 2004

More than 90 percent of Georgia's third-graders passed a high-stakes reading exam this year, turning out a better-than-expected performance.

But thousands of students still failed and could be held back if they don't perform well on a summer retest.

About 11,000 of the state's estimated 115,000 third-graders failed the reading portion of the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, according to preliminary information provided Wednesday by state Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox.

The scores of metro Atlanta third-graders mirrored the statewide results, with more than 90 percent passing the multiple-choice test.

The test is being used for the first time to determine whether students advance to fourth grade.

"Our kids did so incredibly well, we are so proud," said Michelle Farmer, principal of Gwinnett County's Head Elementary School, where no third-grader failed the test.

Based on previous scores, Cox had predicted that as many as 26,000, or 23 percent, of Georgia third-graders could fail the make-or-break exam this year. She credited the improved performance to teachers' greater emphasis on reading in the early grades, better identification of weak skills through practice testing and extra help for struggling readers.

She said no changes were made to the way the test was created or scored.

"These teachers know what their mission is .Ê.Ê. and they're doing it," Cox said. The promotion policy was adopted three years ago as part of a massive education reform package championed by former Gov. Roy Barnes. Proponents saw it as a way of ensuring that struggling readers were getting the help they needed and that teachers were promoting students based on their ability.

Over the past three years, the state has funneled millions of additional dollars to schools to help lagging readers.

But educators and researchers have long debated the validity of using a single exam to make such an important decision as which child gets promoted to the next grade. Not all parents agree with the policy, either.

"I think the classroom teacher knows best about what a student can achieve," said Katie Hasty of Suwanee, whose son Wesley passed the test. "I just feel like if parents are involved and administrators are involved, then teachers will be accountable without a test."

State Rep. Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta) unsuccessfully fought during the latest legislative session to delay implementing the policy. Holmes, who is chairman of the House Education Committee, said schools had not been given enough time to work with struggling readers.

"I am pleasantly surprised and happy with this," Holmes said. "But 10 percent is still too high."

Students who have not passed the reading exam may attend summer school and take a retest. Children who fail the retest must return to third grade, unless a teacher or parent wins an appeal.

Some local school systems are making transitional classes available next school year to students who don't pass the test this summer. In those classes, students will receive extra reading help and may have a chance to take the test again.

With such serious consequences for failing the test, some parents and students anxiously awaited the scores. Many did not get the results until the last day of school; some are still awaiting word. Shelli Mailhes's son Blake broke down in tears when his twin sister, Victoria, received a letter from Parsons Elementary School in Gwinnett saying she had passed, and he hadn't received notice.

Blake eventually learned through the newspaper that all the third-graders at his school had passed, but not before worrying that he might be returning to third grade.

"He didn't even believe me when I said, 'You passed. If you didn't I would have heard something,'Ê" his mom said. "He had to read it for himself."

Staff writers James Salzer and Dana Tofig contributed to this article. Reprinted with permission from The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution. Further reproduction, retransmission or distribution of these materials without the prior written consent of The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, and any copyright holder identified in the material's copyright notice, is prohibited.