New state standards result in lower exam scores, not lower achievement
July 29, 2010 —
The
results of this year’s grades 3-8 English and math exams that were
released this week
showed a decline in proficiency from recent years — not because
student performance decreased but because the state has
significantly changed its standards of proficiency.
“While the number of students reaching “proficiency” levels has declined statewide because of the new scoring procedures, that doesn’t mean Duanesburg students are learning less than they have in previous years, it just means the bar has been set higher,” explains Superintendent Chris Crowley.
In a press release from SED it's stated that “many fewer students met or exceeded the new math and English proficiency standards in 2010 than in previous years. Across grades 3-8, the majority of students, 53 percent in English and 61 percent in math, met or exceeded the new proficiency standards this year. By contrast, in 2009, 77 percent of students met or exceeded standards in English and 86 percent of students did so in math.”
In Duanesburg, 59 percent of our students achieved scores of level 3 and above on the ELA exam, and 67 percent scored at level 3 or above on the math exam. Compared to last year, the result were 86 percent and 91 percent, respectively.
For a complete list (PDF) of Duanesburg’s scores on tests administered in May 2010 for grades 3 through 8 math and English Language Arts, click here.
Under the state’s testing system, scores on these exams are used to classify students into one of four performance levels. Students at Level 1 are not meeting learning standards; those at Level 2 are meeting the basic standard; pupils at Level 3 are meeting the proficiency standard and those at Level 4 are exceeding the proficiency standard.
Next steps
Individual students’ testing reports for 2010 will be mailed to households once the state sends them to us . The anticipated date is some time in August. Parents who have questions about their child’s report should call their building principal.
Extra academic help has always been available for Duanesburg students who need it. In the past, the district provided AIS services to students who scored at level 1 or 2. The state is now proposing that students receive AIS, RTI or a combination of these that will be finalized this fall. Since the district has already begun to implement RTI ahead of the state schedule, faculty input will be sought in September to decide which approach DCS will adopt.
“As always, our goal is to prepare our students to reach high standards,” says Crowley. “Rest assured that the faculty and administration will continue to do what is best for your children.”
State seeks larger change
SED’s change in the cut scores for the grades 3-8 math and English language arts scores are just one part of a larger effort in New York to raise student achievement. Education Commissioner David Steiner and his colleagues have been traveling around the state over the last few weeks to not only forewarn of an expected drop-off in test scores, but also to share details on the state’s new push toward tests that are less predictable and more demanding. In a report released by the Board of Regents in July 2010 entitled: "A New Standard for Proficiency: College Readiness," (pdf) the Regents used a variety of academic performance statistics to justify this change, saying, "The Regents raised (academic) standards a decade ago. Now the Regents are embarking on a new era of reform to improve student achievement and better prepare graduates for college."
For additional information, please visit the SED website.