CRCT/Test Taking
Strategies
Ashley Jimerson
Lisa Hendrix
How do I better
understand and help my
students prepare for the
CRCT?
What is the purpose of
the CRCT?
• Measures how well students acquire the
skills and knowledge described in the GPS
and QCCs
• Yields information on academic
achievement
• Diagnoses student strengths and
weaknesses as related to GPS/QCC
• Gauges the quality of education
throughout Georgia
What Content Areas are
Tested?
• Grades 1-8 take the CRCT
• All grades are assessed in reading,
language arts, and math
• Grades 3-8 are also assessed in science
and social studies
• Grade 3: reading (must pass)
• Grade 5 & 8: reading and math (must pass)
CRCT Scoring
QCC-Based CRCT
Subjects/Grades
Scale Score Range
Performance Levels:
Does Not Meet the
Standard
Meets the Standard
Exceeds the Standard
Math, grades 1-5, 7,8
Science, grades 1-5, 8
Social Studies, grades 1-8
GPS-Based CRCT
Reading, grade 1-8
English/language arts,
grades 1-8
Mathematics, grade 6
Science, grades 6-7
150 to 450
650 to 950
Below 300
Below 800
300 to 349
At or above 350
800 to 849
At or above 850
Predicted Performance
on the CRCT
3rd Grade Reading
• ITBS: Below 25th percentile
• Performance Series: Below a scale score of 2150
5th Grade Reading & Math
• ITBS: Below 25th percentile
• Performance Series: Below a scale score of:
– Reading 2490
– Math 2390
Required to have a spring conference
What if a student
doesn’t pass?
• Attend Summer School (June 4-29)
– Receive services and are tested only in
the area not passed
• Re-take the test without Summer School
• Conference is held if re-take is not passed
to determine next step of promotion or
retention.
Online Assessment
• See handout for Teacher, Student,
and Parent directions
• Https://www.georgiaoas.org
• Login: Student or Teacher ID and
password
Practice Assessment
• Schoolbox has CRCT practice books.
• Contains:
– Grade & Subject area specific
standards
– Practice pages
– Mini-tests & Final tests
– Answer key
Test Taking Strategies
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Think positive!
Read all the answers before marking one
Process of elimination
Don’t guess blindly-make an educated guess
Skip, return, check
Underline/notice key words and phrases
Respond to the question that is being asked
Reading Passages: read the questions FIRST
If your answer doesn’t match- rework it
CHECK over your answers
Your first guess is usually right
On the CRCT
Explain means:
• In your own words, tell how or why
• Tell about
• Discuss
On the CRCT
Summarize means:
• Give the short version
• Tell the main ideas or the most
important parts
• Sum it up
So, what
happened was . . .
On the CRCT
Compare means:
• Give all the likenesses or similarities
between two or more things
• How are they alike?
On the CRCT
Contrast means:
• Tell all of the differences between
two or more ideas
• How are they different?
On the CRCT
Describe means:
• Tell about using the five senses
(touch, smell, scent, sound, and look)
• Paint a picture using words
On the CRCT
Predict means:
• Tell what you think will happen next
• Make a guess about
the next event
• Think ahead
On the CRCT
Support means:
• Back up with details
• Give reasons for
• Give the facts about
• Defend your
ideas/ beliefs
On the CRCT
Evaluate means:
• Tell the value of
• In your words, tell the good and
bad parts
• Put in rank order
• Judge or rate
On the CRCT
Analyze means:
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Break into parts
Study the individual pieces
Take apart
Look at closer
On the CRCT
Infer means:
• Read between the lines
• Make an educated guess
• Look for hidden information
• Figure out
Be a detective!
On the CRCT
Formulate means:
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Put together
Come up with
Create
Make
Design
Well, in my
opinion . . .
On the CRCT
Trace means:
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Write in order from beginning to end
List in steps
Outline
Track or follow