For the fourth year in a row, students across Georgia posted gains on the state’s standardized tests, or CRCTs. The scores released by the Department of Education Thursday show that third through eighth graders are performing better on nearly every test subject and grade level.

The greatest gains were in fifth-grade social studies, students improved passing from 71 percent to 77 percent. In eighth-grade science students improved passing from 67 percent to 74 percent. The biggest overall dip was in mathematics. Math scores in third, fourth and eighth grade decreased by an average of 2 percent.

Reading and English language arts scores remained steady with small increases from fourth to seventh grade.

State School Superintendent John Barge says test scores are only one of the measures used in the state’s new school rating system, but that scores from science and social studies tests will take on a new importance.

"Under No Child Left Behind, the only thing we measured – the only that was considered for accountability was English, math and reading," Barge says. "Under the new college and career ready performance index, science and social studies carry an equal amount of weight as the other three."

CRCT scores for school districts and for individual schools will be released in the coming weeks.

Contributors: Associated Press

Tags: education, standardized test, Criterion Referenced Competency Test