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July 28
2010
SED
releases 2009-2010 test results, raises bar
The New York State Education Department today
released the 2009-2010 English language arts and mathematics
test results for students in grades 3-8. According to the
report, Schenectady students demonstrated a marked decrease in
both subject areas. This comes after five years of steady
improvement. Due to changes in the testing program this year,
Superintendent John Yagielski cautions readers not to simply
compare the most recent results to those of past years. “It is
unreasonable to compare these results to any of the last five
years,” said Yagielski. “Because of the changes, we must look
at this year as a baseline.”
The 2009-2010 test
results reflect two significant changes. First, the exams last
year were administered later than usual and included more
material than previous years. Testing was previously
administered in January and March. In 2010, for the first time,
the exams were administered in April and May.
Second and most
significant, the State Education Department implemented new
scoring procedures. SED raised the “cut scores,” which means
that students must achieve higher scores than in the past to
reach proficiency (levels 3 and 4).
From 2005-2009,
Schenectady students steadily climbed from 51% of students
reaching proficiency in mathematics to 72% in 2009. In
2009-2010, 38% of students reached the benchmark.
ELA results are
similar. Schenectady students improved from 40% proficiency in
2005-2006 to 62% in 2008-2009. Most recent results indicate
that 32% of students in grades 3-8 are proficient in ELA.
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NYS Math
Grades 3-8
Total District Performance 2005-06 to 2008-09 |
|
Academic
Year |
Levels 1 &2 |
Levels 3&4 |
Change |
|
2005-2006 |
50% |
51% |
Baseline |
|
2006-2007 |
51% |
49% |
-2 |
|
2007-2008 |
41% |
59% |
+10 |
|
2008-2009 |
27% |
72% |
+13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2009-2010 |
62% |
38% |
Base line |
From 2005-06 to
2008-09 the District increased by 21 percentage points.
|
NYS ELA
Grades 3-8
Total District Performance 2005-06 to 2008-09 |
|
Academic
Year |
Levels 1 &2 |
Levels 3&4 |
Change |
|
2005-2006 |
60% |
40% |
Baseline |
|
2006-2007 |
57% |
42% |
+2 |
|
2007-2008 |
52% |
47% |
+5 |
|
2008-2009 |
37% |
62% |
+15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2009-2010 |
68% |
32% |
Base line |
From 2005-06 to
2008-09 the District increased by 22 percentage points.
“An opportunity to use the data
more effectively is completely missed here,” said Yagielski.
“It would make sense to provide the scores using last year’s
score ranges as well as the new score range. But without that
distinction, we can’t connect the data to the previous year or
measure potential student
growth.”
The changes to the
system are part of SED’s plan to raise expectations of
students. “I understand why the commissioner wants to make
changes and make the assessments more rigorous,” said Yagielski.
“But, we need to have the opportunity to be able to use the data
now.”
With the new “cut
scores” in place, each of Schenectady’s schools has fewer
students achieving at proficiency level. “But, there is
comfort in the fact that there is consistency in the results,”
said Yagielski. “We know the students are not going backwards,
but right now we can’t accurately compare their achievement to
that of last year.”
Yagielski said he
wants to be sure that the parents and community understand why
there is a dip this year. “Our teachers will be disappointed
with the shift,” he said. “It’s evident that they were moving
us in the right direction. We’ll start from here and look
forward. I am confident we will continue to show growth.”
Looking forward,
the district will continue to utilize curriculum mapping and
will be expanding the use of data as part of efforts to improve
student academic achievement.
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