WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the New York State Education Department. July 18, 2012 UPDATED July 19, 2012 8:28 A.M. EDT:
A total of 59.3% of 2011-12 White Plains 8th Graders moving up to the high school this September passed the 8th Grade English assessment test this spring (with 56% managing to score in the Level 3 Range). The 59.3% passing ELA in 2012 compares to 52.7% who passed in the 2010-2011 8th grade class (now about to be sophomores.)
In Math, 74.4% passed the assessment (47.5% scoring in the Level 3 Range)compared to 71.5% passing in 2011. Passing scores were set 20% points higher a year ago in this year’s tests by the New York State Department of Education.
At the elementary level, of 5th Grade students preparing to enter the Middle School this fall, 51.9% (48.2% scoring in the Level 3 (of 4 levels) passed the English Assessment Test, compared to 52.7% passing at the 5th grade level in 2011. On the Math side of the ledger, 64.2% of 5th Graders across the district passed (37.5% in the Level 3 score bracket. In 2011, 60.1% of 5th graders passed the math assessment.
Jessica O’Donovan, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction for the White Plains City School District commented to WPCNR:
“We are pleased overall with the assessment results considering the exams were more challenging this year than last year. We are particularly pleased with the ELA (English Language Assessment) gains in grades 4, 7, and 8 and the Math gains in grades 5, 7, and 8. We also experienced some significant increases in the number of students achieving a Level 4 in ELA. For example, in gr. 3, our Level 4 results increased from 6% to 11%. So we are celebrating our successes, while simultaneously acknowledging that we still have hard work left ahead of us. “
For complete White Plains School District Results, building by building, click on this link, and scroll down to White Plains using the WP state school district code, 662200010000:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/ela-math/2012/DistrictandBuildingAggregates-StateReport.pdf
The White Plains scores and the scores of all districts across the state were released by the State Education Department (SED)for the April 2012 grades 3-8 math and English Language Arts (ELA) assessments Tuesday. The average scale scores on this year’s exams in both ELA and math across the state are slightly higher than last year in most grades, and there is a small increase in the percentage of grades 3-8 students across the State who met or exceeded the proficiency standard on both exams.
“There is some positive momentum in these numbers,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch. “But too many of our students, especially students of color, English Language Learners and special education students, are currently not on a course for college and career readiness. That’s why we are continuing to press forward with critical reforms to ensure all of our kids are ready for college and careers. In the fall we will begin to phase in a new, more challenging, content rich curriculum and continue to press for the implementation of a rigorous teacher evaluation system in every district across the state.”
“We’re building a ladder, grade by grade, to college and career readiness,” Commissioner John B. King, Jr. said. “These results are a small, positive sign of growth, but not enough of our students are climbing as steadily as they should be. Next school year, we start to implement reforms to make that ladder strong enough to support all our students as they climb toward college and career readiness.”
King noted that the State Education Department and school districts have been working throughout the year to prepare for implementation of the Regents Reform Agenda. He said there are two related goals: preparing all students for college and careers and closing achievement gaps. Next year, new college and career ready standards will be introduced and a rigorous new fair and transparent teacher and principal evaluation system will start to be implemented.
The 2013 grades 3-8 state tests will begin to reflect the new, higher standards and provide better measurement of progress toward college and career readiness. King said next year’s tests will be tougher, but he believes New York’s teachers and students will rise to the challenge of higher standards for learning.
Summary of Statewide 3-8 Exam Results: Positive Momentum, But Gaps in Achievement Persist
- 55.1% of grade 3-8 students across the State met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (an increase from 52.8% last year); 64.8% met or exceeded the standard in math (up from 63.3% last year).
- 37.2% of African-American students in grades 3-8 met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (compared with 55.1% for all students and 66.4% for white students); 46.1% met or exceeded the standard in math (compared with 64.8% for all students and 74% for white students).
- 40% of Hispanic students in grades 3-8 met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (compared with 55.1% for all students and 66.4% for white students); 53.1% met or exceeded the standard in math (compared with 64.8% for all students and 74% for white students).
- 11.7% of English Language Learners (ELLs) in grades 3-8 met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (down from 12.6% last year); 34.4% of ELLs met or exceeded the standard in math (up from 32.3% last year).
- 15.5% of Students with Disabilities (SWDs) met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (up from 14.5% last year) across grades 3-8; 28.5% of SWDs met or exceeded the standard in math (up from 26.9% last year).
Big 5 Students Trail the Rest of the State, But Progress Seen in Yonkers, NYC, and Syracuse
Across the Big 5 city school districts, a smaller proportion of students met or exceeded the math and ELA proficiency standards than in the rest of the state:
- In Buffalo, 27.9% of students met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (up from 26.9% last year); 29.9% met or exceeded the math standard (down from 31% last year).
- In Yonkers, 40.7% of students met or exceeded the ELA standard (up from 37.8% last year); 46.8% met or exceeded the math standard (up from 40.4% last year).
- In New York City, 46.9% of students met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (up from 43.9% last year); 60% met or exceeded the math standard (up from 57.3% last year).
- In Rochester, 20.7% of students met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (down from 24.4% last year); 27.3% met or exceeded the math standard (down from 29.4% last year).
- In Syracuse, 24.2% of students met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (up from 22.5% last year); 26.9% met or exceeded the math standard (up from 25.3% last year).
A summary of the test results, as well as individual school and district results, are available at
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/pressRelease/20120717/home.html.
