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Language arts the focus after state test results announced
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| By: Rachel Westberg |
June 24, 2009 |
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Language arts will be the area of focus for the coming year in the Chetek School District after district officials analyzed the schools' data from the annual standardized tests.
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The results also come with the news that students with special needs and socioeconomically disadvantaged students have shown significant gains in recent years.
District assessment coordinator Linda Zeman delivered the results from the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam and Measures of Academic Performance during the school board's regular meeting Monday. The two tests measure the number and percent of students in various grade levels proficient in a particular subject area.
WKCE results (which test grades 3-8 and 10) show Chetek students' performance in reading has increased in recent years in all grades but third and has exceeded the state average in all grades tested but sixth. In math, Chetek students have shown an increase in scores in every grade accessed, due in large part to the large focus in math instruction in the district over recent years. Chetek scores also remained above the state average in every grade but eighth.
Language arts data (tested in grades four, eight and 10) indicates a steady increase in Chetek scores in both fourth and 10th grade. Eighth-grade language arts scores have decreased over recent years in both Chetek and in overall state data.
Data for Chetek scores in science (tested in grades four, eight and 10) indicates that Chetek students have shown an increase in performance compared to local and state data in both grades eight and 10; fourth-grade scores have remained steady in Chetek when state trend data has shown a decrease in proficiency.
In the area of social studies (tested in grades four, eight and 10), Chetek scores increased in comparison with district and state data in grade 10. Scores at the fourth-grade level remained steady when state data has shown a decrease in proficiency. Social studies scores in grade eight have shown a slight decline in Chetek, while state trend data show scores have remained flat.
Two other groups that are closely monitored are the scores of students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. Results indicate that students with disabilities within the district increased in proficiency in reading and math and exceeded proficiency of students across the state for the first time in Chetek's history. Economically disadvantaged students also showed considerable gains and consistently scored above students of similar standing across the state.
"Clearly, the new service delivery model which includes co-teaching, inclusive practices, high expectations and targeted instruction is having an immediate and dramatic effect on improving student learning," the report states.
The MAPS testing (monitoring students in grades 1-8) show that students exceeded the national average in almost all grades assessed in reading-except eighth. In language, scores exceeded national averages in grades five through eight. Math data has shown "amazing and dramatic growth, significantly exceeding national averages," according to the report.
Students with disabilities and low income groups exceed the average growth of their counter parts in most areas and grade levels and almost every grade level and content area exceeded grade level growth targets.
As a result of the data, district officials made several recommendations. The first was to continue a focus on language arts instruction. It was also recommended that K-6 instructional materials be updated for the 2010-2011 school year. MAPS data showed a significant loss of skills from spring to fall, and it was suggested that the district provide a range of academic offerings over the summer and encourage participation. The data analysis team also recommended that additional support should be given to programs allowing for increased intensity, time and focus for individual student learning. It was also suggested to collect additional performance data from programs such as Read 180, expand MAPS testing at the high school level and increase staff development so MAPS and other data can be better utilized.
"We're making progress," notes district superintendent Al Brown. "We're striving to be a high-quality rural school district. I'm very happy with the special education and the socioeconomically disadvantaged student scores and we've made significant improvement with our math scores. Language arts scores here are following the trends of the state, but that is an area we want to work on and turn the trend line around."
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©The Chetek Alert 2009
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