2006 CRCT Score Interpretation Guide

2006 CRCT

Score Interpretative Guide

This score interpretative guide is intended to assist teachers and administrators in understanding each of the score reports and their specific uses. This guide has four sections. First, the guide presents an overview of several key terms and test-related concepts. The second section includes general guidelines for interpreting various scores are discussed. The third section provides a snapshot and overview of each report. Finally, the fourth section containsthe Performance Level Descriptors for each grade and content area.

Overview of Key Terms and Related Concepts

General Terms and Concepts

  • Mean: the arithmetic average of a set of scores. It is found by adding all the scores in the distribution and dividing by the total number of scores.
  • Median: The middle score in a distribution or set of ranked scores; the point (score) that divides a group into two equal parts; the 50th percentile. Half of the scores are below the median, and half are above it.
  • Performance Level Descriptor: A short verbal statement describing each performance level in terms of what the student has learned and can do.
  • Performance Level: A range of scores that define a specific level of performance as articulated in the Performance Level Descriptors. The CRCT has three performance levels: Exceeds the Standard, Meets the Standard, and Does Not Meet the Standard.
  • Scale Score: A mathematical transformation of a raw score. Scale scores provide a uniform metric for interpreting and comparing scores.
  • Standard Deviation: A measure of the variability, or dispersion, of a distribution of scores that represents the average difference between individual scores and the mean. The more the scores cluster around the mean, the smaller the standard deviation.
  • Standard Error of Measurement (SEM): The amount of variation in the test scores related to the reliability of the test. The SEM provides a method for describing the expected variation of each examinee’s observed score about the examinee’s true score.
  • Percent Correct. The number of correct responses divided by the number of items in a domain. This is used as an indicator of a student’s relative strength and weakness of the content domains within a subject area.
  • Lexile Score. A standard score that matches a student’s reading ability with difficulty of text material. Lexiles can range between approximately 200 and 1700. The Lexile score is a tool to use in matching reader with text.

Test-Related Concepts for Score Report Interpretation

Scale Score and Performance Levels

Scores on all reports are expressed as scale scores. With the phased-in implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), the CRCT now has two systems of scale scores – one for those grades and content areas still based on Georgia’s Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) and the other for those grades and content areas that have transitioned to GPS. A scale score is reported for each content area. The process converts the number correct on the test (raw score) to the CRCT scale. Since the scale scores are equivalent across test forms within the same content area and grade, students obtaining the same score have demonstrated the same performance with respect to the Georgia QCC or GPS.

The chart below shows which grades/subjects are QCC or GPS and which system of scale scores is applicable.

QCC-Based CRCT / GPS-Based CRCT
Subjects/Grades / Mathematics, grades 1-5, 7-8
Science, grades 1-5, 8
Social Studies, grades 1-8 / Reading, grade 1-8
English/language arts, grades 1-8
Mathematics, grade 6
Science, grades 6-7
ScaleScoreRange / 150 to 450 / 650 to 950
Performance Levels:
Does Not Meet the Standard
Meets the Standard
Exceeds the Standard / Below 300
300 to 349
At or above 350 / Below 800
800 to 849
At or above 850

Scores that are at or above 350 on QCC-based CRCT or 850 on GPS-based CRCT indicate a level of performance that Exceeds the Standard set for the test. Scores from 300 to 349 for QCC-based CRCT or 800-849 for GPS-based CRCT indicate a level of performance that Meets the Standard set for the test. Scores below 300 on QCC-based CRCT or 800 on GPS-based CRCT indicate a level of performance that DoesNot Meet the Standard set for the test, i.e. the state’s minimum level of proficiency, based on this test administration, and may indicate a need for some type of additional instructional support.

While the CRCT assessments are structured to range from 150 to 450 or from 650 to 950, variations in test characteristics and student performance from one administration to the next may result in the absolute lower or upper ranges not being obtained. However, generally scores above 400 or 900 can be seen as exceptional performance.

Scale Scores at the Test Level

The QCC and GPS scale score systemswere constructed independently for each content area and each grade level. Thus, the scale score values of 300 and 350 (or 800 and 850 for GPS-based tests) are the same for all content areas. However, the means, standard deviations, and standard errors of measurement are unique to each content area and grade, since the scale scores of each are based on the standards set for that content area. Standards can vary in difficulty across grades and content areas.

Number Correct and Percent Correct at the Domain Level

For each content domain,the number of correct answers is reported, and the percent correct is calculated by dividing the number answered correctly by the total number of items in that domain.

Standard Error of Measurement and Error Bands

Since no test measures performance with perfect consistency (reliability), it is important to take into account the standard error of measurement when interpreting the test scores. For the CRCT, the SEM is computed for each scale score and an error band (plus/minus one SEM unit) is constructed for each scale score. It is important to note that the SEM is a function of the number of items on which a particular score is based. The SEM is noted on the student score reports as a bar that extends to either side of the student’s score. The larger the bar, the greater the error associated with the reported score.

General Guidelines for Score Report Interpretation

This section provides guidance on how to interpret scores. Schools are advised to help parents understand their individual student’s reports. Teachers should help parents understand their student’s individual strengths and weaknesses as related to the curriculum. School systems and schools should use the school, system, and state summary reports to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the system’s or school’s curriculum and instruction. In general, the CRCT is a test of the state’s mandated curriculum, and all interpretation should be geared towards how well students acquire the skills and knowledge described in the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC).

Key Abbreviations and Terms Used on Reports

Each report has notes and key abbreviations that educators should familiarize themselves with prior to assisting others in interpreting individual student reports or school, system,or state summary reports.

  • It should be noted that the sum of the percents of students falling in each performance level may not total exactly 100 percent due to rounding.
  • A designation of DNA indicates that a student Did Not Attempt a test according to the guidelines established for the CRCT program.
  • A designation of PTNA indicates Present Test Not Attempted. A PTNA designation occurs if a student did not attempt enough items (10 or more) or if the PTNA bubble is marked.
  • A designation of IV indicates that there was an Irregularity associated with a student’s test administration and the student’s score was invalidated. Scores associated with an irregular administration are not included when computing statistics for the summary reports.
  • Summary reports do not report on groups with fewer than 10 students.

Interpreting Scale Scores – Total Test

The scale scores at the test level are comparable across forms and administrations for the same content/grade. A scale score of 320 from one administration, for example, indicates the same examinee ability as a score of 320 from any other administration. Bear in mind, that for those grades and subjects areas that have transitioned to GPS, 2006 scale scores are not comparable to those from previous years since the content and test standards have changed.

The content and the associated performance standards differ for each grade and content area assessment. Therefore, scale scores are not comparable across content areas or grade levels.

Interpreting Number and Percent Correct – Domain

Reporting at the domain level is by number of items and/or percent of items correct. The purpose of this information is to providesome indicator of relative strengths and weaknesses.

Caution should be taken in comparing student performance across domains because domains may vary in number of items and difficulty.

Interpreting Performance Data

The cutscores, or points on the scale score system distinguishing different performance levels, are the same across forms and administrations. On the QCC-based CRCT, a scale score of 300 is the cutscore for Meets the Standard and a score of 350 is the cutscore for Exceeds the Standard. For the GPS-based CRCT, a scale of 800 is the cutscore for the Meets the Standard and a score of 850 is the cutscore for Exceeds the Standard.

Interpreting Group Data

When interpreting group level statistics such as percentages, means, and medians, it is important to take into account the group size. The smaller the group size, the larger the measurement error associated with the calculated statistic.

Interpreting Lexile Scores

A Lexile is a standard score that matches a student’s reading ability with difficulty of text material. Lexiles can range between approximately 200 and 1700. A Lexile can be interpreted as the level of book that a student can read with 75% comprehension. Experts have identified 75% comprehension level as offering the reader a certain amount of comfort and yet still offering a challenge. The CRCT has been linked to the Lexile framework in an effort to provide teachers with an additional indicator of a student’s reading ability.

In advising parents, educators should report the Lexile as it appears on the Student Score Report and then calculate the student’s Lexile range. To find a student’s range, add 50 to the student’s reported Lexile measure and subtract 100; in other words, locate 50L above and 100L below their reported Lexile measure. This range represents the boundaries between the easiest kind of reading material for the student and the hardest level at which he/she can read successfully. A student’s Lexile range can be used in selecting reading material for the classroom and at home. Many textbooks, novels, magazines, newspapers, and other reading materials have been placed on the Lexile framework. The Lexile score is a tool to use in matching reader with text.

To find out more about how to use Lexiles in the classroom or home, visit the Georgia Department of Education’s Lexile Framework page at

Score Reports

A brief description is provided for each of the CRCT reports. The descriptions are intended to familiarize you with the general layouts of the reports, their intended purposes, and specific information contained in the reports.

Student Score Report

This report is designed for parents. It is intended to give a general, easy to understand interpretation of the student’s performance in each content area. Parents are encouraged to contact the school for more detailed information. The report shows the scale score and the level of performance on a bar graph. Bars denote where on the scale a student is performing. It identifies the student’s level of performance for each content area and whether the student Does Not Meet the Standard, Meets the Standard, or Exceeds the Standard set for the CRCT. The content areas and associated domains are listed on the left side of the report. For each domain, the numberof items answered correctly is reported. The narrative to the right is a brief performance-level description, written in a style that is easy to understand. (See pages 8-50 of this document for a more detailed explanation of each performance level.)

Individual Student Report

This report is for the classroom teacher to use with the parent. It is intended to provide more detailed information about an individual student’s performance on each of the tests and may be useful as a follow-up report during a parent-teacher conference. For each content area, the performance level and the scale score are reported. To the right is a graph depicting the scale score and associated error band. As part of domain reporting, this report shows the number of items in each domain and the number of items that the student answered correctly.

Performance Level 1 Roster Reports

This report lists only those students who Did Not Meet Expectations for Reading in grades three, five, and eight and for Mathematics in grades five and eight. Students who did not attempt the test are also noted. It is important to note, however, that if no answer document was submitted for a student, he or she would not be listed on this report. If a student Did Not Meet Expectations in one content area but did in another, a ‘+’ appears on the report, corresponding to the content area in which the student achieved a score of 300 or higherfor QCC-based subject tests (or 800 or higher for GPS-based subject tests).

Class Roster

This report is produced for the classroom teacher. It lists all students alphabetically within a class. Following the student name is the total content scale score and the number of items answered correctly for each domain within that content area. Student scores that are at or above 300 for QCC-based tests (or 800 for GPS-based tests) are shaded. This is done to show graphically those students who have met or exceeded the standards. Those scores not shaded indicate that a student has not met the standard for that content area. For example, see the fifth student did not meet in English/Language Arts.

Class Roster Summary

At the end of this report are summary data for the class. It includes the percent of students within the class at each performance level for each of the content areas. It is followed by the percent of students at or above 300 for QCC-based tests(or 800 for GPS-based tests) for each of the domains. The class mean and standard deviation for each content area’s scale score is also reported. At the domain level, the mean and standard deviation of number of items correct is reported. The number of students tested and the number that were PTNA within the class completes the report.

Performance Summary

This summary report is produced for each class, school, and system. This report presents a group’s performance in graphical format. It focuses on students meeting or exceeding the standard. For each content area the following information is reported: the mean, standard deviation, number tested, and the number and percent of students at each performance level. The percent for each performance level is then shown on a bar graph. For each domain, the mean number of items and the percent of items answered correctly are reported and then shown on a bar graph.

Summary Report of All Student Populations

This report is produced at the school, system, and state level. It is intended to provide disaggregated performance information for students. The left column shows the student group for which performance information is presented. For each group the following informationis provided: total number of students tested, number of non-standard administrations, number of standard administrations, the mean score, and the percent of students at each performance level. An asterisk is printed if the number of students in a particular group is less than ten (10).

In 2006, the definition for “All Others” has changed. “All Others” are those students who are regular program and not included in Section 504, English Language Learners, English Language Learners – Monitored, or Migrant Certified.

CRCT Performance Level Descriptors

Grade 1 Reading– GPS
Performance Level Descriptors
Does Not Meet / The student’s overall performance in reading a variety of first-grade materials does not meet the standard set for students in the first grade.
The student’s overall performance in reading a variety of materials does not meet the standard set for students in the first grade. Students performing at this level may have difficulty gaining meaning from grade-level texts. They may be able to identify grade-level words but have difficulty determining the meaning of those words in context. They may not be able to isolate root words from affixes to determine meaning. At this performance level, students are typically able to determine only the most explicit details in grade-level text. They may be able to make obvious connections between the text and their own experiences but are often unable to make connections beyond their experience. They may have difficulty inferring meaning from grade-level literary and informational texts. Their interpretation of graphics is minimal.