CANTON — Cherokee County fifth- and eighth- graders showed improved scores on the Criterion Referenced Competency Test this year, according to preliminary test results released by the local school system Tuesday.

The schools’ biggest improvement came in the eighth grade math test, which 89 percent of first time test-takers passed. That is up from 84 percent in 2010

Fifth-grade math also got a boost to 92 percent in 2011 from 88 percent last year.

“The Georgia Performance Standards which have been phased in over the last five years have provided a more rigorous curriculum for our students; and we are particularly proud of the way our students and teachers are continuing to have outstanding results,” said Cherokee County School Superintendent Dr. Frank Petruzielo in a letter releasing the results. “We look forward to even more progress in the future.”

The CRCT is a state mandated test required to be passed by third-, fifth- and eighth-grade students to advance to the next grade level.

Third-graders take a reading test while fifth- and eighth-graders take a reading and math test.

The percentage of fifth-and eighth-grade students passing the reading test remained the same over the past two years. Ninety-five percent of fifth-grade students passed reading, while 98 percent of eighth-grade students passed.

The Cherokee County School System has about 3,100 fifth graders and about 2,700 eighth grade students.

The only drop in the scores came in third-grade reading.

Ninety-six percent of Cherokee third-graders passed the test, compared to 97 percent in 2010.

There are about 3,000 third-grade students in Cherokee schools.