Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles on results of the End-of-course exams that were recently announced.
Brenda Melton, assistant superintendent for instruction with the Watson Chapel School District, considers recently released exam scores for junior and senior high school students good news.
“We have maintained the status quo over the last few years,” Melton said of the test results.
End-of-course tests cover Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology; and a separate Literacy test is given to 11th graders.
“We didn’t show a significant gain in literacy but the kids did do better this year,” Melton said.
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“In order to continue to improve in all areas we will do more of what we’ve been doing,” Melton said. “We are still striving to improve in literacy and math and we will continue to use external providers, including Elbow to Elbow, towards that end. We will have the assistance of school improvement specialists who will work with our teachers in the areas of literacy, math and science who are being sent by the Arkansas Department of Education in response to the high school being put on the list of Needs Improvement Focus schools.”
Elbow to Elbow is an education consulting group that helps teachers to find the most effective instructional style to bring students up to the proper achievement level.
Watson Chapel High School was determined to be a Needs Improvement Focus School, which makes it one of 109 schools in Arkansas that are in need of assistance to increase student achievement.
“The district has gone to an eight period day that will allow one full class period each day for remediation,” Melton said. “The previous schedule included seven class periods plus a 25 minute activity period. We have turned the activity period into a full 45 minute class period.”
Test results
The end-of-course exams are criterion-referenced tests that are taken by students at the completion of a course of study to determine whether a student demonstrates attainment of the knowledge and skills necessary for mastery of that subject.
Criterion-referenced tests are customized around the Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks, which outline the goals and standards for each subject.
The test results divide students by percentage into four performance levels used to gauge student achievement; including advanced, proficient, basic and below basic.
The Arkansas Department of Education defines advanced as the demonstration of superior performance well beyond proficient grade-level performance; proficient as a demonstration of solid academic performance for the grade tested and being well prepared for the next level; basic as students who show substantial skills but only partially demonstrate the ability to apply these skills; and below basic as failing to show sufficient mastery to attain the basic level.
The score results for the 2011-2012, 2010-2011 and 2009-2010 school years are included here to allow for comparison.
Literacy
The Literacy exam is administered to 11th graders in March of each school year. The scores for Watson Chapel High School are included.
In March, 204 students took the exam, with 8 percent scoring at the advanced level; 46 scoring proficient; 42 percent scoring basic and 4 percent scoring below basic.
In March 2011, 195 students took the exam, with 11 percent advanced; 46 percent proficient; 32 percent basic and 11 percent below basic.
In March 2010, 254 students took the exam, with none scoring at the advanced level; 41 percent scoring proficient; 43 percent basic and 16 percent below basic.
Algebra I
The Algebra I end-of course exam is administered in May of each school year. The scores for Watson Chapel Junior High School and where applicable for Watson Chapel High School are included.
In May, 242 Watson Chapel Junior High School students took the exam, with 12 percent scoring advanced; 34 percent proficient; 37 percent basic and 16 percent below basic.
Watson Chapel High School students took the 2012 exam but the ADE did not release the score results because 10 or fewer students took the exam and ADE regulations state that when such a small number takes an exam, the release of the data could inadvertently identify specific students and thus violate their privacy.
In May 2011, 263 Watson Chapel Junior High School students took the exam, with 8 percent scoring at the advanced level; 38 percent proficient; 38 percent basic and 16 percent below basic.
In May 2011, 22 Watson Chapel High School students took the exam, with 5 percent scoring at the advanced level; 14 percent proficient; 45 percent basic; and 36 percent below basic.
In May 2010, 237 Watson Chapel Junior High School students took the exam, with 13 percent advanced; 48 percent proficient; 29 percent basic and 10 percent below basic.
In May 2010, 76 Watson Chapel High School students took the exam, with 4 percent advanced; 28 percent proficient; 46 percent basic and 22 percent below basic.
Geometry
The Geometry end-of-course exam is administered in April of each school year. The scores for Watson Chapel High School and where applicable Watson Chapel Junior High School are included.
In April, 277 Watson Chapel High School students took the exam, with 10 percent advanced; 30 percent proficient; 43 percent basic and 16 percent below basic.
In April, 68 Watson Chapel Junior High School students took the exam, with 18 percent advanced; 47 percent proficient; 34 percent basic and 1 percent below basic.
In April 2011, 222 Watson Chapel High School students took the exam, with 10 percent advanced; 31 percent proficient; 41 percent basic and 18 percent below basic.
In April 2010, 344 Watson Chapel High School students took the exam, with 13 percent advanced; 37 percent proficient; 37 percent basic and 13 percent below basic.
Biology
The Biology end-of-course exam is administered in April of each school year. The scores for Watson Chapel High School for are included.
In April, 248 students took the exam, with 3 percent scoring at the advanced level; 20 percent at the proficient level; 40 percent at the basic level; and 38 percent at the below basic level.
In April 2011, 220 students took the exam, with 4 percent scoring advanced; 19 percent proficient; 43 percent basic; and 35 percent below basic.
In April 2010, 206 students took the exam, with 2 percent scoring advanced; 18 percent proficient; 36 percent basic; and 43 percent below basic.