The New Jersey Department of Education made state test results public today. The results show that scores for high students dropped slightly. About 83 % of the students were categorized as proficient or advanced proficient in Language Arts and about 75% of them were proficient or advanced proficient in Math.
The middle school students’ scores dropped drastically in comparison to previous years, especially for the 5th and 6th graders. More than 60 percent of these students failed the Language Arts test and about 25% failed the Math test. The scores changed so much because the cut off scores for proficiency changed this year for these middle school students. So the students had to score higher on the tests than in previous years in order to be considered proficient. The cut off scores for the 7th graders also changed but their failure rate was not as high as the 5th and 6th graders. The Education Commissioner, Lucille Davy, said that the proficiency rates for the 6th and 7th graders would have actually increased compared to the previous year if the cut off scores had not changed.
The cut off scores changed so that educators are able to better identify which middle school students need more help as they prepare for high school. New Jersey’s Governor Jon Corzine has announced a change for the state’s high schools. He plans on making the curriculum more rigorous. This is in response to a large number of students entering college and needing extra help.
Tests are administered to students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11. Parents, educators, and other interested people can view the results by either reviewing the 2008 School Report Card which shows statistical data about individual schools, or the Statewide Assessments which provides detailed test results for the elementary, middle school and high school students.
The middle school students’ scores dropped drastically in comparison to previous years, especially for the 5th and 6th graders. More than 60 percent of these students failed the Language Arts test and about 25% failed the Math test. The scores changed so much because the cut off scores for proficiency changed this year for these middle school students. So the students had to score higher on the tests than in previous years in order to be considered proficient. The cut off scores for the 7th graders also changed but their failure rate was not as high as the 5th and 6th graders. The Education Commissioner, Lucille Davy, said that the proficiency rates for the 6th and 7th graders would have actually increased compared to the previous year if the cut off scores had not changed.
The cut off scores changed so that educators are able to better identify which middle school students need more help as they prepare for high school. New Jersey’s Governor Jon Corzine has announced a change for the state’s high schools. He plans on making the curriculum more rigorous. This is in response to a large number of students entering college and needing extra help.
Tests are administered to students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11. Parents, educators, and other interested people can view the results by either reviewing the 2008 School Report Card which shows statistical data about individual schools, or the Statewide Assessments which provides detailed test results for the elementary, middle school and high school students.
No comments:
Post a Comment