2011 3rd & 7th Grade Stanford Results
For the past two years, during the fall semester the 3rd and 7th grade take a standardized test called the Stanford Achievement Test. This assessment is a "dipstick" to measure how well our students are doing on key bodies of knowledge. We choose to give these tests during the fall because the Spring semester has all the state assessments and this spreads these required tests out.
Here is a description of the Stanford Test taken from their website. The Stanford Achievement Test measures student progress toward high academic standards. The Stanford multiple-choice assessment will help educators find out what students know and are able to do. This instrument provides the valid and reliable tool needed for objective measurement of achievement. Administrators will obtain reliable data to evaluate progress toward meeting the challenges set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act and national and state standards and high expectations. Teachers will identify and help children who are at risk of being left behind. Parents will understand what their children know and can do and how they can help.
The school improvement committee looks at key sub-tests to track trends and evaluate effectiveness. Those tests are Total Reading, Reading Comprehension, Total Math, and Science (in 3rd grade it is called Environment).
Overall, we are pleased with the results of the 3rd grade assessments. We saw our biggest improvement is Total Reading and Reading Comprehension. The graph below shows the average score on those tests. As the graph shows, our reading scores improved significantly from last year. This was good news especially with the emphasis we have put on reading. It shows we are heading in the right direction. Although we saw a little drop in our math scores, our scores are high and it was good we were able to maintain those higher scores. We also saw a slight increase in our Environment (science) scores.
For 7th grade, the results showed that we have some work to do. The scores in each of these sub tests dropped from last year. In response to this trend in reading, the secondary has implemented new reading programs this year to better meet the diverse needs of their students. The school improvement committee has also been monitoring the math data and will be working on the development and implementation of a math action plan.
This is just a quick snapshot of how our students are doing in these two grades but they help us see how effective we are in teaching and how well our students are learning.
