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Wednesday, August 29, 2007
PSSA Scores to be Released Today
The Pennsylvania Department of Education plans to release the PSSA results for every school district today at 10 AM. The results can be found here on the PA Dept of Education website.
It actually looks like we did pretty well. The numbers still need to be crunched.
Within the county, we seem towards the top (judging by having lowest below basic numbers). However, the 11th grade numbers are disturbing with around 13% below basic in math and around 12% below basic in reading (I didn't look at writing).
How are the numbers so off in 11th grade compared to the others? Block scheduling? Higher standards (doubt it).
I remember the basic skills assessment in NJ (many years ago for me). To reach basic level was so easy (trying not to sound elitist here) is was almost absurd.
You've been sipping too much free kool-aid at those committee meetings;-)
All kidding aside, I did see they were posted and have not done more than take a cursory glance.
I think the year to year (2006 3rd grade vs. 2007 3rd grade) and longitudinal (how 2006 3rd graders scored vs. same kids in 2007 now in 4th grade) results will be most important ones to look at because that is comparing our students progress against themselves.
And then to see where we stack up against the other districts would be secondary.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't think us being number 7 in the valley vs. number 6 is as important as simply being in the top tier, as opposed to the middle or bottom.
Should be interesting, I'll be firing up my abacus this weekend.
Uh.. not really. I guess it's one thing to look at below basic numbers, but do we just want to get our kids to proficient and leave it that? I tend to look at the advanced+proficient scores as a barometer.
The good news is that we met AYP. We are also above the state standards, but looking into the numbers a bit further is telling.
I've been tracking the numbers longitudinally over the past couple years. Actually going back as far as 2001. I have much more "number crunching" to do but let's just look at the 2006 class compared to 2007. And no, let's not look compare the 2006 8th grade class to the 2007 8th grade class. Those are two separate classes. Let's compare apples and apples, e.g., look at the numbers longitudinally. We'll start with the 2007 4th graders (they would have been 3rd graders in 2006).
Math-Advanced+Proficient% 4th grade decreased from 88% to 84% 5th grade decreased from 83.2 to 79.6 6th grade increased from 76.7 to 77.5 7th grade decreased from 78.7 to 75.7 8th grade decreased from 77.9 to 74.0
Reading-Advanced+Proficient% 4th grade increased from 75.0 to 79.0 5th grade decreased from 79.3 to 70.4 6th grade decreased from 71.8 to 69.2 7th grade decreased from 76.3 to 75.2 8th grade increased from 84.3 to 84.9
Again, these numbers are a little different than what you might see in the paper. These numbers compare the same class over a years progress. For example how did the 2006 6th graders do as 7th graders in 2007?
Most of those scores above show decreases. And that doesn't get into the 11th grade math scores. Which by the way, ranked 16th out 21 LV school districts.
I'm still working through the numbers and I hope to have more (probably a separate post) sometime later.
I was basically trying to start a dialog and my main point was the trend towards awful math scores in the 11th grade numbers. Those are very concerning. These kids need to be preparing for the future.
I took at look at the numbers and also see decreases. My concern is that the schools continue to take more and more time out for PSSA Preparation and less time teaching. It appears that all this "PSSA Prep" time is not working! I hope one of the new administrators that is making such a big salary will also be crunching numbers and trying to fix this problem.
You are correct. The district (and this is certainly not unique to NASD) is spending a good deal of time in preparation of the PSSAs.
At one of the last board meetings, a presentation was given on a program they are using called 4Sight. This program uses benchmarks (actual tests taken before the PSSAs) to assess how students will actually do on the PSSAs. From the initial benchmarks, a students' weaknesses are determined and then those areas emphasized in their learning.
As for the scores/rankings/etc, I am most concerned with seeing longitudinal progress within each class.
I ran the PSSA numbers last year, in part because I wanted to see how Nazareth stacked up versus the surrounding districts. Frankly, I was surprised to see that NASD was middle of the pack. Although, I would certainly like NASD to be near the top, I realize that the individual class progression is most important.
I am still "crunching numbers" and trying to put them together in some organized fashion to present here.
I have to disagree about the importance of longitudinal scores vs. how, for example, third graders score from year to year. I think longitudinal scores are important, but may be misleading because from grade to grade the information kids learn is not going to be of equal difficulty. A year where kids learn fractions may show slightly higher scores than a year where they learn algebra, which may be a subject more difficult to master.
I think year to year scores of the same grade showing improvement is equally important because it shows curriculum changes the district is making are improving overall proficiency.
I only have experience in elementary but I wonder how the low 11th grade scores can be improved. Back when I was in high school, students who were not going to college were not taking advanced math, and the math they did take was not given their all.
9 comments:
It actually looks like we did pretty well. The numbers still need to be crunched.
Within the county, we seem towards the top (judging by having lowest below basic numbers).
However, the 11th grade numbers are disturbing with around 13% below basic in math and around 12% below basic in reading (I didn't look at writing).
How are the numbers so off in 11th grade compared to the others? Block scheduling? Higher standards (doubt it).
I remember the basic skills assessment in NJ (many years ago for me). To reach basic level was so easy (trying not to sound elitist here) is was almost absurd.
Feel free to unleash on me....
You've been sipping too much free kool-aid at those committee meetings;-)
All kidding aside, I did see they were posted and have not done more than take a cursory glance.
I think the year to year (2006 3rd grade vs. 2007 3rd grade) and longitudinal (how 2006 3rd graders scored vs. same kids in 2007 now in 4th grade) results will be most important ones to look at because that is comparing our students progress against themselves.
And then to see where we stack up against the other districts would be secondary.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't think us being number 7 in the valley vs. number 6 is as important as simply being in the top tier, as opposed to the middle or bottom.
Should be interesting, I'll be firing up my abacus this weekend.
Uh.. not really. I guess it's one thing to look at below basic numbers, but do we just want to get our kids to proficient and leave it that? I tend to look at the advanced+proficient scores as a barometer.
The good news is that we met AYP. We are also above the state standards, but looking into the numbers a bit further is telling.
I've been tracking the numbers longitudinally over the past couple years. Actually going back as far as 2001. I have much more "number crunching" to do but let's just look at the 2006 class compared to 2007. And no, let's not look compare the 2006 8th grade class to the 2007 8th grade class. Those are two separate classes. Let's compare apples and apples, e.g., look at the numbers longitudinally. We'll start with the 2007 4th graders (they would have been 3rd graders in 2006).
Math-Advanced+Proficient%
4th grade decreased from 88% to 84%
5th grade decreased from 83.2 to 79.6
6th grade increased from 76.7 to 77.5
7th grade decreased from 78.7 to 75.7
8th grade decreased from 77.9 to 74.0
Reading-Advanced+Proficient%
4th grade increased from 75.0 to 79.0
5th grade decreased from 79.3 to 70.4
6th grade decreased from 71.8 to 69.2
7th grade decreased from 76.3 to 75.2
8th grade increased from 84.3 to 84.9
Again, these numbers are a little different than what you might see in the paper. These numbers compare the same class over a years progress. For example how did the 2006 6th graders do as 7th graders in 2007?
Most of those scores above show decreases. And that doesn't get into the 11th grade math scores. Which by the way, ranked 16th out 21 LV school districts.
I'm still working through the numbers and I hope to have more (probably a separate post) sometime later.
I knew you'd get some analysis going, Brad.
My brain is too full.
I was basically trying to start a dialog and my main point was the trend towards awful math scores in the 11th grade numbers. Those are very concerning. These kids need to be preparing for the future.
Basic math skills are just that. Basic.
Brad,
I took at look at the numbers and also see decreases. My concern is that the schools continue to take more and more time out for PSSA Preparation and less time teaching. It appears that all this "PSSA Prep" time is not working! I hope one of the new administrators that is making such a big salary will also be crunching numbers and trying to fix this problem.
Annon-
You are correct. The district (and this is certainly not unique to NASD) is spending a good deal of time in preparation of the PSSAs.
At one of the last board meetings, a presentation was given on a program they are using called 4Sight. This program uses benchmarks (actual tests taken before the PSSAs) to assess how students will actually do on the PSSAs. From the initial benchmarks, a students' weaknesses are determined and then those areas emphasized in their learning.
As for the scores/rankings/etc, I am most concerned with seeing longitudinal progress within each class.
I ran the PSSA numbers last year, in part because I wanted to see how Nazareth stacked up versus the surrounding districts. Frankly, I was surprised to see that NASD was middle of the pack. Although, I would certainly like NASD to be near the top, I realize that the individual class progression is most important.
I am still "crunching numbers" and trying to put them together in some organized fashion to present here.
I have to disagree about the importance of longitudinal scores vs. how, for example, third graders score from year to year. I think longitudinal scores are important, but may be misleading because from grade to grade the information kids learn is not going to be of equal difficulty. A year where kids learn fractions may show slightly higher scores than a year where they learn algebra, which may be a subject more difficult to master.
I think year to year scores of the same grade showing improvement is equally important because it shows curriculum changes the district is making are improving overall proficiency.
I only have experience in elementary but I wonder how the low 11th grade scores can be improved. Back when I was in high school, students who were not going to college were not taking advanced math, and the math they did take was not given their all.
deleted spam. Hope that isn't a new trend and I'd suggest you don't visit the username.
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