Highlights:
In Math there were 1,566 students tested in grades 3-10. Seventy-five percent (75%) were above the proficient cut score. Our only year higher than this was 04-05 when 76% were above. In 5 of the 8 grade levels tested, Wawasee posted the highest percentage pass rates since the new test was given.
Writing skills have shown major improvement in some grade levels.
Lowlights:
In the total Language Arts scores it is a different story. There were 1,450 students tested in grades 3-10. Sixty-nine percent were above the proficient score. However, in 4 of the 8 grade levels tested, Wawasee posted the lowest percentage pass rates since the new test was given.
6 comments:
The language arts scores are likely to improve when teachers begin teaching skills students need to be successful on the test instead of the Trivial Pursuit version of the curriculum that is based in the literature we studied in the 1950's and 1960's.
Is there any truth to a comment I heard recently that the state is planning to "give up" the ISTEP in the next several years? If so, are they planning to replace it? Or was it was just someone wishing we wouldn't have to spend so much time and energy focusing on the ISTEP?
ISTEP will still be around although it is going to change. There is talk of it moving to more of a "pretest" "posttest" format to measure student growth within the school year. The high school graduation exam could move from a 10th grade exam to an end of the course Algebra I exam and an end of the course English 10 exam.
They also would like to move eventually to a computer-based test so that results are available quicker.
As always, politics will be involved so we will have to wait until the State Board of Education (now controlled by the governor's appointees) and until the Indiana General Assembly is over.
I can tell you when the ISTEP reading and writing scores will go up in 10th grade -- when the reading and writing teachers can teach it successfully. There are 28-30 freshmen in a LA class; trimesters make it harder to teach all the curriculum the state requires; kids are coming to the High School with less and less preparation for the standards they must master so reviewing becomes a priority -- shoving new skills out the window; and the kids come with attention spans of 2-5 minutes thanks to MTV, video games, etc. Where did I find this out? I did the research! Someone needs to address the problems that the corporation is having rather than trying to find "cheap" solutions.
What kind of research did you do? Was it valid research or hearsay?
My research has included a LOT of reading of periodicals, educationsl journals, etc.; a lot of frank discussion with teachers and business people, as well as school administrators. There are lots of opinions out there on how to improve test scores....no one seems to agree about anything except the bottom line that too many kids in a class, too many state standards, too many hours prepping for the test, and not enough time for one-on-one with students is hurting everyone!
What's the easy answer? There is none. I believe that allowing the schools to teach rather than RAISE our children is a step in the right direction.
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