Board of Education gets early CRCT results, discuss statewide controversy on low scores
By KIP BURKE news editor

In its regular May meeting Monday night, the Wilkes County Board of Education got preliminary score summaries on the controversial CRCT tests which show a majority of Georgia students failing some areas.

At the request of Wilkes County Superintendent Joyce Williams, Director of Testing and Curriculum Marie Echols briefed the board on the preliminary results of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT).

"There has been widespread concern about the results, particularly in social studies and math," she said, causing Georgia Superintendent Kathy Cox to hold an unscheduled conference call with local superintendents throughout the state Monday afternoon about the newly released unofficialtest scores.

This spring's tests show poorerthan expected results across Georgia in eighth-grade math and far poorer results in sixth- and seventh-grade social studies. Cox attributed the drop to the tougher standards associated with the state's revised curriculum in those areas. The new state standards, for instance, have all eighth graders taking algebra, statistics, and geometry, subjects previously attempted by only the brightest eighth graders.

Echols said that she expected Wilkes County results to be better than the state averages, but it would be two weeks before those complete results are available. "It's hard to gauge ourselves until that is done."

The first-year rollout of the new Georgia Performance Standards, and a possible mismatch with testing standards, may have caused part of the drop, Echols said. "We expected this dip because of that."

Student results are not yet available to send home, she said.

Complete results will show how many Wilkes County students require retesting, and how many will require summer school to advance.

In other action, the board considered the local plan for Career, Technical, Agricultural Education. The topic was tabled for further research when Board member Steven Albertson pointed out an apparent conflictin the funding data.

The board returned to the question of allowing prisoners from the Wilkes Pre-release Center to work under guard at the school system's bus barn on Andrew Drive. The board had turned down a previous request from Transportation Director James Callaway due to the proximity of the primary school to the transportation facility.

The new request, however, was for only summer months when school was not in session. Board chairman Ricky Callaway said that if the request was granted, the transportation director would need to make sure that no bus changes or repairs would take place with students present during the summer. After some further discussion, the request was approved.

In her monthly construction report, Superintendent Williams told the board that a timing conflicthas arisen between the Georgia DOT, which is expected to provide grant money for road changes at the new site, and McKnight Construction, which said it needs to pave the site's roads now up to the state right-ofway to avoid delaying the project. They are still working on a resolution, she said.

At Williams' request, the board approved the expenditure of some $258,000 to wire the new school site for technology. An ERATE state grant that the system had applied for is doubtful, and Williams said that she and Technology Director Ann Haughey have carved the amount needed for the tech infrastructure down by some $180,000.

After further study, the board also decided to pay a disputed $8,000 to Southern A&E for additional construction blueprints for the new school. Williams said that board attorney Jim Roberts had studied the contract and told her that, while the contract wasn't clear, industry standards say the board is responsible for the charge. Further research showed the price to be in line, too, so the board approved the expenditure.

Williams also reported on research being done by Coach Russell Morgan on an athletic field house and weight room for the new school, which was not part of the original $22 million plan. Morgan found that an appropriately sized metal building could be purchased in kit form for $45,000, or built on a slab for $105,000 minus plumbing and electric. The board authorized Williams to get specificationswritten up for a field house.

In old business, the board had a final reading for a policy revision on promotion, placement, and retention. In new business, the board had a first reading for two policy revisions concerning personnel leave for illness.

The board went into executive session for personnel. Upon returning to open session, the board approved hiring four recommended personnel: W-WPS teacher Nicole Crook, and high school teachers Mr. Chandra Karnati, Jamie Atkinson, and Mary Temple.

The board accepted a request by Director of Curriculum and Instruction Marie Echols to be released from her contract.

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