Wilkes County students will be taking the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) during the week of April 21-25. Students in grades one through eight will take tests in reading, language arts, and mathematics. Students in grades three through eight will also take science and social studies tests. The purpose is to assess how well students have acquired the skills set forth in the state curriculum.

To ensure that students are performing at grade level in reading and mathematics, the Georgia Academic Placement and Promotion Policy requires that eighth grade students meet the expectations in these areas before going to ninth grade. When the school receives scores from the April administration of the CRCT, the parent of any student who did not perform at grade level on one or both of these sections will be notified in writing. This notificationwill also give information about a summer school program or a program of additional instruction to which the student has been assigned for additional academic assistance. These students

must be retested on the reading and/ or mathematics sections at the end of summer school.

When the retest scores are returned, the parent will again be notified in writing if the student did not meet expectations on the retested section(s). This notification will also contain information concerning the decision to retain the student and instructions on how the parent or guardian may appeal this decision. If the parent appeals the retention decision, the principal will convene a placement committee composed of the principal or a designee, the parent, and the appropriate academic teacher. The committee will review the academic achievement of the student in the designated area(s). They will also design a program of continuous assessment to be implemented during the following school year. The committee must then determine that if given accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction that the student is likely to perform at grade level during the next school year. The decision must be unanimous in order for the student to go on to ninth grade. For special education students, the Individualized Education Plan committee will serve as the placement committee. (This space paid for by the Wilkes County Board of Education.)