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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 1, 2004: The White Plains City School District elementary schools have improved  4^th Grade student scores on the New York State English Language Arts Test 15%  and  students passing the 4^th  Grade State Math Assessments by 8%  in the last four years. Each new fourth grade has scored higher each year since assessment began in 1999, according to data released to WPCNR by Larry Killian, Director of Research, Testing and Evaluation, Friday.

 

GW Comes Through.

Killian said George Washington School was singled out on the New York State Education Department list of most improved schools in the ELA test in 2003, based on the school 22% increase in students passing the ELA assessment since 1999, followed by Church Street School with a 16% gain in students passing the ELA 4^th grade “checkpoint.” 

 George Washington School  raised 4^th graders scores in the Math Assessment 18%, moving from a low of 66% of the 4^th graders passing in Spring 1999 to a District high of 84% passing the Math Test in 2003.

Starting Strong in Math, Continuing the March

Killian said that the White Plains district 4^th graders have scored very high in Math from the beginning of the assessments, starting with 72% passing in all  5 schools in 1999 and improving that standard to 80% in Spring 2003. White Plains elementaries scoring so high at the outset, Killian said, is why the improvement rate in math is slower at 8%. The number of 4^th graders passing Math each year nevertheless is moving up.

 

On the ELA test, George Washington was followed by Church Street School which improved 22% since 1999, Post Road which improved 14%, Ridgeway, 12%, and Mamaroneck Avenue School, 9%. Killian explained that all five schools are now passing the same number of students on the 4^th grade assessments.

 

Tests Identify Children Who Need Help

 

A typical fourth grade universe at a White Plains Elementary school is about 110 children spread over 5 classes. If 68% of students pass the 4^th Grade ELA test district wide in 2003, this would mean that approximately 375 of 550 children pass the state assessment, leaving some 75 children performing below Grade level, or approximately 15 children per school.

 

In the Spring, 2003 ELA tests, 68% of the five elementary school 4^th graders passed their ELA Assessments scoring high enough to place in Levels 3 or 4. In Math 80% passed.

 

Every elementary school in White Plains has responded and improved scores significantly over the last four years on both the ELA and Math Assessment Tests, reflecting the districtwide overhaul of curriculum.

 

School By School, It’s working 

 

The efforts of the school district to upgrade elementary skills  the last four years is most noticeable on the English Language Arts Assessments.

 

Church Street has gone from 56% of its 4^th graders passing in 1999 to 72% in 2003. (A 16% gain.)

George Washington from 50% passing in ’99 to 72%. (A 22% gain).

Mamaroneck Avenue from 55% to 64% (9% gain).

Post Road 4^th grades moved from 51% passing to 65%, a 14% improvement.

Ridgeway improved from 55% passing in 1999 to 67% in 2003, a 12% gain

 

Number Crunchers.

 

On the Math side of the Report Card, the march toward excellence has been slower, because the District started at a much higher score,  but has reached 80% passing districtwide.

 

In 1999 on the Math Assessment, 72% of Church Street 4^th graders passed, and in Spring, 2003 last year’s fourth grade improved that to 81%, a 7% improvement.

 

George Washington moved from 66% passing the Math in ’99 to 84%, highest passing percentage in the District last year.

 

Mamaroneck Avenue School passed 69% of their 4^th Graders in Math in ’99 and has improved that to 77% in 2003, an 8% gain.

 

At Post Road, 70% of their 1999 4^th grade passed the Math, and the 2003 4^th grade, 79% passed, a 9% improvement.

 

Ridgeway was very consistent in Math over the 4 years, 80% passing in 1999, and 81% passing in 2003, a 1% gain.

 

The District as a whole improved the number of 4^th Graders passing Math, 8% with 80% of District 4^th Graders passing in 2003, compared to 72% in 2003.

 

ELA GRADE 4 PERCENT MEETING STANDARD

(Scoring In Achievement Levels 3 and 4)

 

School                   1999       2003    Gain

 

Church Street           56        72          16%

George Wash           50        72          22%

Mam. Ave. Sch         55        64            9%

Post Road                51         65          14%

Ridgeway                 55         67           12%

 

DISTRICT WIDE      53%      68%         15%

 

MATH GRADE 4 PERCENT MEETING STANDARD

(Scoring In Achievement Levels 3 and 4)

      

School                   1999      2003          Gain

 

Church Street          74          81             7%

George Wash           66          84             18%

Mam. Ave.  Sch.       69          77               8%

Post Road                 70          79              9%

Ridgeway                  80          81              1%

 

DISTRICT WIDE        72%      80%            8%

Source: Larry Killian, Director, Research, Testing, Evaluation, White Plains City School District

WPCNR VOICE OF THE CITY. February 29, 2004: With Budget Director Ann Reasoner noting early this month that the city is running $400,000 ahead of sales tax projections for 2003-2004, yet facing an $8 Million deficit made up of increased projected expenditures, and a $4 Million shortfall in revenue (expected to be made up in parking fees), the city has a budget gap. How do you think the city should deal with it? WPCNR has listed some options in the new survey at the right. Commentors are welcome to write in their suggestions.