We all know how ridiculous it is to decide a student’s fate on one test score. It doesn’t make any sense at all from an academic, social, emotional, or policy perspective. Teachers, students, and parents know best about how a student has progressed across a year – and if a teacher doesn’t know that, then she is not doing her job. I can’t get to this issue though – because kids’ lives are being ruined by unthoughtful decision-making about whether they should be promoted or retained. Wanna know the odds that a kid will finish high school if she or he is retained one time in their educational career? Not good…check out the statistics for yourself.
I’ve heard numerous stories about students in all grades being spontaneously “retained” at the end of the school year because – and only because – of the CRCT scores. And kids are carrying home this news on the last day of school – crying on school buses. This is regardless of how well the student has done all year.
Here are some facts about the Georgia state policy on promotion/retention:
THERE IS ONLY A STATE POLICY FOR 3RD, 5TH, AND 8TH GRADE regarding CRCT scores -
THERE IS NOT A STATE POLICY FOR OTHER GRADES regarding the CRCT scores – DO NOT LET SOMEONE TELL YOU THERE IS (or ask for it in writing – I can’t find it anywhere). That means that any last minute decision to hold back a child in K,1,2,4,6 based on CRCT scores is not substantiated in state policy – and parents, teachers, students should fight this decision if it is not in the best interest of the child.
For 3rd (READING SCORES ONLY – DOES NOT REQUIRE MATH SCORES), 5th, and 8th graders (BOTH READING AND MATH):
1 – The school district should have a local policy about how the CRCT is “weighted” in decisions of promotion and retention.
2 – The school district should have a local policy about the other factors that will go into deciding whether a child is promoted or retained.
ASK ABOUT THESE TWO POLICIES. ASK FOR THEM IN WRITING.
3 – If a child in 3,5, or 8th grade does not pass the CRCT, the family must be notified BY FIRST CLASS MAIL WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THE SCHOOL’S RECEIPT OF THE SCORES WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
a) The below-grade level score on the CRCT
b) The specific re-tests to be given and testing dates
c) The opportunity for accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction (this can be like summer school – but this is NOT mandatory for students to attend prior to retaking the test. It is only mandatory for the school to offer it).
d) The POSSIBILITY that the student might be retained for next year
IF THE STUDENT RE-TAKES THE TEST AND STILL DOESN’T MEET GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:
a) The principal may choose to retain the student – and if so, the student’s family must be informed BY FIRST CLASS MAIL of this decision, AND of the option of the parent/guardian or teacher to APPEAL this decision.
IF A PARENT/GUARDIAN OR TEACHER APPEALS THE DECISION:
a) A “placement committee” must be formed and convened to discuss information about the child from across the school year that one might not know from looking at the CRCT scores. This committee would be: the principal OR a designee, the family/parents/guardians/ (I would add other advocates), and the teacher or teacher(s) who know the student best in the subject of the CRCT. If a child receives special education – THE IEP COMMITTEE IS THE PLACEMENT COMMITTEE).
b) In addition to other things, the placement committee must establish ongoing assessments for the child in the next year to monitor her/his progress.
c) The decision to promote to the next grade must be unanimous.
BUT – IF IT IS NOT – THERE IS A WAY TO APPEAL THIS DECISION THROUGH THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. CALL THEM AND ASK FOR THE POLICY IN WRITING AND ASK FOR SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU IN PERSON OR OVER THE PHONE AS WELL.
Listen – the No Child Left Behind Act has created a machine that eats up children, families, teachers, and administrators. CRCT is part of the machine. Everyone is working over-time to cover their own butts – and you’ll find VERY FEW PEOPLE going out of their way to save a child who is dangling over the edge getting ready to plummet into the grinder.
If you don’t do it – no one else will.
STAND UP FOR KIDS.
(ALL INFORMATION PULLED DIRECTLY FROM PROMOTION/RETENTION POLICY DOCUMENT “STATE BOARD RULE” 160-4-2-.11.PDF ON THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEBSITE. I have paraphrased most of this given the complex language of the original document – but I have also pulled some direct quotes. I have the full pdf if someone wants to contact me about getting it)
I had to do something similar (prepare and present a portfolio) for a couple great readers that did not pass their reading test the 1st year that NYC made retention contingent on that high stakes test. These are normative times.
Some of you may be interested in this piece I ran across. Patrica Carini gave a talk in 2005 that speaks to our current context of public education and calls listeners to act and to resist:
“. . . It is the self-hood which embraced in the full measure of its diversity unites us in our common humanity while, in the same gesture, the uniqueness each of us brings is affirmed.
In relation to readiness to act and to sustaining resistance, to keep this focus, to not for a minute blink or lose sight of what is at stake, seems to me the great task before us.”
For the complete talk, please click http://www.prospectcenter.org/docs/carinifallconf110505.pdf
In solidarity,
Lori
[...] on CRCT scores that don’t meet the threshold for “passing” onto the next grade. Click here to see what the appeals process [...]
what happen when a child pass on part of the test and fail the other. I want to no why should the child be retain.
Hi there! If the child passes one test (for example, reading) and fails another (for example, math), I would ask to meet with the teacher and principal to discuss the child’s progress across the entire year. The test scores – alone – are not supposed to be the only determining factor for retaining a child.
If a teacher did not give any indication during the school year that there were other concerns and possible reason to retain the child, I would insist that a meeting be called and the child’s work from across the year be examined for growth and progress.
I hope this helps – let us know what happens.
hi my son passed the reading part of crct with 804 he only scored 779 on math and needed 800 his report card for the year says he should go on why should he be retained
the principal says he needs to be taught a lesson and next time he will do better. help me fight for my childs future
“Being taught a lesson” is not sufficient reason for retaining a child. Have all the policies been followed – for example, was a team of people called together to decide whether or not he would be promoted? Has he had summer school opportunities? Has he had the opportunity to retake the math test?
To Stephane jones I need help with my sons CRct we just moved 45 day ago from another state so work is a little different they told me if he does not pass reading they will keep him back I do know what to to he only been in school for 45 days thus is crazy no help or nothing I do not think it is fare help please anyone
Hi Anonymous – I’m sorry, I thought I replied right away but I don’t see my comments here.
I’ll paste comments I made to another parent:
Thanks for your comments. Did you see my response about the requirement that the principal, teacher, and family meet before deciding to “retain” a child based on a test score? You cannot just be “notified” that your child will be retained because of the test score – your child should have supplemental instruction, additional opportunities to pass the test, and the “team” that meets to discuss retention or promotion can provide evidence that your child will thrive in the next grade level and make the decision to promote her.
If I were you, I would emphasize that moving schools and changing lives in this way, adds a layer of anxiety and stress in a child’s life that can impact her performance on an already-high-stakes test. Ask to see “other evidence from the classroom and ongoing formative assessments” from the teacher that your child cannot thrive in the next grade level if they recommend retention. And insist that the team lay out a plan for “different” learning experiences the next year in the same grade level. In other words, another year of the “same” isn’t necessarily going to promote any different performance on a test or otherwise.
Ask them to prove to you that the damage inflicted on your child’s self-esteem and motivation as a result of retention will be positively outweighed by her academic acceleration as a result of retention.
Good luck – and keep talking to other parents, and let me know if I can help in any way.
I feel the same way Anonymous. I just relocated my daughter 1 month ago to a new school system in another city and the work is different there as well. I’m not sure if she passed the CRCT, they will let us know before school ends but, she is nervous about it. I hate how they allow one test to determine a childs future, this has seemed to damage my daughter’s self esteem. She tells me it’s hard because the work is different than she was learning in Marietta and they are testing her on curriculum what was taught to the other students before she got there.
Hi Concerned Parent – Thanks for your comments. Did you see my response about the requirement that the principal, teacher, and family meet before deciding to “retain” a child based on a test score? You cannot just be “notified” that your child will be retained because of the test score – your child should have supplemental instruction, additional opportunities to pass the test, and the “team” that meets to discuss retention or promotion can provide evidence that your child will thrive in the next grade level and make the decision to promote her.
If I were you, I would emphasize that moving schools and changing lives in this way, adds a layer of anxiety and stress in a child’s life that can impact her performance on an already-high-stakes test. Ask to see “other evidence from the classroom and ongoing formative assessments” from the teacher that your child cannot thrive in the next grade level if they recommend retention. And insist that the team lay out a plan for “different” learning experiences the next year in the same grade level. In other words, another year of the “same” isn’t necessarily going to promote any different performance on a test or otherwise.
Ask them to prove to you that the damage inflicted on your child’s self-esteem and motivation as a result of retention will be positively outweighed by her academic acceleration as a result of retention.
Good luck – and keep talking to other parents, and let me know if I can help in any way.
[...] to this, I’ve been commenting back and forth with some parent commenters – so check out this link. And get involved! Endorse the National Resolution on Testing and Google your local, state, and [...]
My sons school is wanting to retain him and not continue to second grade. We had a meeting with the school and we were advised that they, the school, have the final say. We did not tell the school that we are aware of us having the final say, just to see how it played out. My son passed all three sections of the GA OAS test, so we are a bit confused. 800 is passing and they say he was too close to falling below. I’m sorry but passing is passing. Then they said that his Starr reading played as a factor. I have no idea if that is even credible enough to retain. My question….because I cannot find a simple legal document for the state of GA,, can we refuse based on the GA OAS? if so, please help me with the proper document backing my final decision. I might also add that my son has improved tremendously in the first grade and we feel he is ready to continue to second. If I felt, as the parent, that he was too far behind, I would consider repeating first grade. I felt that I have educated more than the teacher and have noted documents asking her to test him on sight words, which he is on his second grade lists, because she was not testing until I asked. I am so aggravated and I can see my son has already been bothered by the decision the school is choosing. Please HELP !!!
Hi there,
I am so sorry this is happening to you. If I were you I would begin going up the ‘chain of command’ now: to the principal, to the parent engagement representative, to the superintendent. Take your son’s test scores with you and evidence that he is also reading grade level sight words. I would demand that the school give you a full written report for how retaining him will give him educational experiences that are different from this year since doing another year of the same work is not likely to benefit him. I would also ask if the district would evaluate the situation using the Light’s retention scale. This is a pretty good indicator of whether retention would make sense socially, academically, and emotionally for your child.
If you have a trusted person who can attend all the meetings with you as an advocate and support, I recommend taking that person with you.
If you are adamant that retention is a bad idea, stick to what you believe is right for your child.
Good luck and let me know what you do.
Im in 8th grade i failed math with a 791 and passed reading with a 820 . My report card just got back and said i been retained is ther anything i can at this point ?
Dear Octavio,
Have you had a chance to re-take the test? You should be given the opportunity to receive additional teaching and support, then you should be allowed to re-take the test.
Even if you don’t pass the test, there should be a meeting with your teacher, the principal, your parent or guardian, and you can request to be there as well. You can also request that a counselor, family engagement specialist, or someone else you trust to be in the meeting.
The test score is only one factor in deciding whether or not to retain someone. Ask what other factors are being considered in your case and be ready to tell them all the reasons you are better off being promoted to 9th grade.
What county are you in?
Do you have someone who can talk to the people at school for you?
Let me know how else I can help,
Stephanie
Yes , I took my retake but i got the same scores from the first time back by mail . so im kinda confused weither ther was a mistake or i got the same exact socre from the first test .After i explained this to my mom she calmed down a bit , and decided we were going tho the school on mon . To see if ther anything we can do .
I’m in clayton county
ohh and im also in I,E,P
Hi Octavio,
I would be surprised if you received exactly the same score twice, so you are right to ask about that. And I would be surprised if the school would retain you especially given the fact that you also have an IEP.
Definitely go to school with your mom and request an official meeting. I like the way you are taking charge of your education, Octavio. Remember to always take charge of your learning, even when you aren’t facing a big challenge like retention. Bravo to you for doing your research and reaching out to someone to ask the right questions! No matter what the test score says, I can tell you are incredibly smart and persistent. Keep at it!
Let me know if more questions come up for you, I will help if I can.
All my best,
Stephanie