&uot;Test&uot; may well be the word for the week in the Natchez-Adams School District.

From Tuesday to Thursday, students in kindergarten to eight-grade will take a criterion reference test (CRT) to test their knowledge of skills required by the Mississippi Department of Education.

The test is based on statewide curriculum objectives, which have received extra attention in the Natchez-Adams School District in the past two years.

&uot;Now we’re going to see how well our kids do on subject matter they’ve been taught for a year,&uot; said Superintendent Dr. Carl Davis. &uot;That’s the whole purpose of the CRT.&uot;

The scores will not be available until November but will be crucial in developing baseline data for the state’s school districts, Davis said. Eventually, all school districts will be required to show gains based on that data.

Although some people would say students do not need to perform as well on a baseline test, Davis does not agree.

&uot;We want our kids to do the very best they can do every opportunity they have to complete a test like this,&uot; he said.

With its increased emphasis on testing, Davis thinks students are prepared for the upcoming week and are becoming more accustomed to taking tests.

&uot;This has become a part of their routine now,&uot; he said.

And it is probably a good thing because this week’s test will soon be followed by another in just a few days, when students in grades three through eight will take a norm reference test used to compare Mississippi’s students performance to students from across the country.

&uot;We’re changing the mindset of the American student,&uot; Davis said. &uot;They understand that (testing is) a way of life.&uot;

The students will take their CRT tests in the mornings this week. Parents are asked to support their children by getting them to school on time and not removing them from class unless it is an emergency, Davis said.

&uot;I think that the community needs to be aware of how important these tests are to us – the community,&uot; Davis said.

And reflecting on a viewpoint held by some people that prayer is needed in school, Davis said this week no one needs to worry.

&uot;This coming week prayer will be in school,&uot; he said. &uot;This coming week, kids are going to pray and they’re going to pray that they do well.&uot;