Real Estate Investing Tactics

The preliminary results of the Georgia CRCT tests are out and they are dismal. But, not to worry, there are plenty of excuses! The state school superintendent, Kathy Cox, says a major reason is the curriculum and expectations changed so a "dip" was expected.

This needs to be put into perspective. In 2000, Georgia abandoned long used testing designed to measure how well the kids were being educated in favor of a test specifically designed to test only the specific curriculum taught in Georgia government schools. Then the state curriculum was fine tuned to specifically teach the things expected on the test.

In other words, the test was dumbed down and then the curriculum was changed so they teach to the test.

Now, that is pathetic enough but it gets much worse.

All rising government school 9th grade students are required to pass the CRCT at the end of their 8th grade year. Notice, the criteria is pass and the definition of pass is very generous.

Now, if you are teaching to the test and testing to the teaching you'd think this would be a slam-dunk right?

Only 60% of the Georgia government school 8th grade students passed the CRCT. The ones who failed will be given the opportunity again to take the tests after attending summer school. But, hey, not to worry if you still don't pass after that because they can go on to 9th grade with special permission.

This 60% pass rate was for math and science.

Yet, that is not the end, nor the worst part of the story.

The results of the social studies tests given to 6th and 7th graders was worse. Only 20% - 30% of the 6th and 7th graders passed.

Only 20% - 30%. Is it any wonder we have kids who are so poorly prepared to take their place as citizens in this once great republic called the United States of America.

But all is well, they are already looking for scapegoats...
Cox said new standards and a new curriculum are partly to blame and she’s asked a group of education specialists to figure out what has caused such poor performance.