CRCT Information

What is the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test? The CRCT is a standardized test designed to measure how well students acquire grade level skills and knowledge. What is the purpose of the CRCT? This information is used to diagnose individual students’ strengths and weaknesses as related to instruction, and to gauge the quality of education throughout Georgia.

CRCT Information What grade levels are tested? 1 st grade through 5 th grade What subjects are tested? Grades 1-2 Reading, Language Arts, and Math (3 day period) Grades 3-5 Reading, Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science (5 day period) When will the CRCT be administered? April 12 th – April 21 st 2011 What time does the CRCT begin? 8:00 a.m. sharp!

CRCT Performance Levels Level 1: Does not meet standards Level 2: Meets standards Level 3: Exceeds standards

Passing Scores (Levels 2 & 3) For Reading, English/Language Arts, Math, and Science a score of 800 or higher is passing. For Social Studies, a score of 300 or higher is passing.

What are the Gateway Years? 3 rd, 5 th and 8 th Grades  3 rd grade students must pass Reading to be promoted  5 th grade students must pass both Reading and Math to be promoted The gateway test is designed to indicate which students need additional support in Reading or Math. If a child does not meet standard, then there are steps taken to remediate and possibly to retain that student.

Passing the CRCT Scores required to pass: Reading: minimum passing score is 800 (3 rd and 5 th grade) Math: minimum passing score is 800 (5th grade)

What can parents do to prepare their child for the CRCT? 1.Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep. 2.Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast. 3.Make sure your child is on time for school. 4.Reassure your child that there will be plenty of time to take the test and that it’s ok if he/she doesn’t know all the answers. 5.Encourage your child to do his/her very best!

CRCT Reading Skills 1.Making inferences 2.Previewing and predicting 3.Explaining actions of characters 4.Knowing the difference between fact and fiction 5.Determining likenesses and differences 6.Drawing conclusions

CRCT Reading Skills and Strategies (cont.) 7.Summarizing text 8.Determining the author’s purpose 9.Knowing literary elements 10.Sequencing events in a story 11.Recognizing cause/effect and problem/solution in a story 12. Retelling a story

CRCT Reading Skills and Strategies (cont.) 13.Identify main idea 14.Recalling facts and details 15.Comparing and contrasting 16.Finding word meaning in context 17.Making connections with text 18.Making inferences with text 19.Visualizing

CRCT Vocabulary Skills 1.Identifying suffixes and their meaning 2.Identifying prefixes and their meaning 3.Identifying and using root words to determine word meaning 4.Word knowledge of antonyms, synonyms, possessives, compound words, contractions, homophones, and analogies

Student Test Taking Tips 1.Concentrate on test 2.Read all directions carefully 3.Pay close attention to sample exercise – if you do not understand-raise your hand 4.Read entire question and all answer choices before marking answer.

Student Test Taking Tips (cont.) 5.Eliminate choices that you know could not be the right answer. 6.Be sure you are in the right place on your answer sheet. 7.Mark only 1 answer per question. 8.Keep track of time so you can pace yourself.

Student Test Taking Tips (cont.) 9.Skim and scan passage for important details. 10.Always answer every question

Grade Specific Vocabulary Analyze Cause Compare Conclusion Contrast Describe Effect Equivalent evaluate Example Explain formulate Infer implied Mainly Most likely operation Predict probability Purpose Summarize Support Symmetry trace

Practice Math Questions There are 40 people at a party. Teenagers make up 2/4 of the group while 1/4 are adults and the rest are babies. Chocolate cupcakes are a favorite of 3/4 of the teenagers and 2/4 of the adults. How many teenagers and adults like chocolate cupcakes? A. 10 B. 20 C. 30 D. 40

Practice Reading Questions Stonehenge is an ancient monument make up of a group of huge stones. It is located in Wiltshire, England. No one knows who put the stones there or what they are for. Some scientists think that they were put there thousands of years ago by people who worshiped the sun. Which of the following is a fact about Stonehenge? a. Scientists know what Stonehenge looked like when it was first built. b. Stonehenge is located in Whilshire, England. c. Scientists know why Stonehenge was built. d. Stonehenge helped people study eclipses of the sun.

Practice Language Arts Questions In the word abbreviate, brev means _______? a.To lengthen b.To shorten c.To make a list d.To learn how to spell Numerous means about the same as _______? a.Number b.Many c.Few d.special

BUBBLING IN ANSWERS EXAMPLES: No Yes Color the bubble that is under the mistake in the sentence. Mike and i went to the store. O O O

CRCT Questions What happens if my 3 rd and/or 5 th grade child does not pass? He or She will receive remediation in the critical area where standards are not met. The student will be retested prior to the end of the school year.

Additional Resources for the CRCT CRCT Online Picasso Department of Education Web Site /crct.asp

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