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GREENWICH, Conn. -- Schools Superintendent Sidney Freund expressed dissatisfaction with Greenwichs mixed results on the 2011 Connecticut Mastery Test. Scores were released Wednesday, and younger students did slightly better in math and science, but worse in reading and writing.
Overall, the results are disappointing. In a preliminary review of the data, I am encouraged by the continuing upward trend in percent of students at Goal and Advanced in Math in grades six through eight, and the increases in Science at the Goal and Advanced levels in grades five and eight, Freund said in a prepared statement.
Beyond these steadily improving areas, the results are mixed. In some grades and subject areas we see improvement; in other areas, we have lost some ground.
The tests are administered statewide to students in grades 3 through 8 in math, reading and writing. Grades 5 and 8 are also tested in science. The test was taken by 250,000 children and has five levels of performance for each content area: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, Goal and Advanced. The test is used by the federal government to measure yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind law.
Math scores for grades 3 through 5 decreased slightly, from 81.1 percent at goal in 2010 to 80.4 percent this year. Grades 6 to 8 increased slightly, from 82.7 percent last year to 83.6 percent in 2011.
Reading scores for grades 3 through 5 decreased from 77.9 percent at goal in 2010 to 76.7 percent this year. Grades 6 through 8 students also slipped, from 87.8 percent last year to 86.6 percent this year.
In writing, grades 3 through 5 decreased from 80.9 percent at goal in 2010 to 79.2 percent this year. Grades 6 through 8 fell from 77.7 percent in 2010 to 74.9 percent this year.
In science, grade 5 increased from 73 percent to 76.5 percent, and grade 8 rose from 74.2 percent in 2010 to 76.2 percent this year.
View all of Greenwich schools' scores here and compare them to state scores.
Administration will be pouring over the data throughout the summer in a critical review of the results, and will engage the faculty in discussion at the start of the school year to determine next steps, said Freund. As we begin year three of the District Improvement Plan, we will focus on the strategies that best address the areas of challenge as identified after an intensive analysis of these data.
The District Improvement Plan outlines fifty-five mastery test and Connecticut Academic Performance Test targets as indicators of successful student outcomes. Based on the 2010 results, the district is on track or likely to achieve approximately 50% of each of the testing targets in 2011-12.
Are you disappointed also by the mastery test results for Greenwich schools? Leave a comment below.
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