School State Test Scores Released

WAITSBURG - State testing scores released last Wednesday from school year 2011-12 show some improvement in Touchet Valley schools in math, reading writing and science and some areas that need more work.

According to a press release from State Super- intendent Randy Dorn, scores on statewide testing continue to show improve- ment. The scores released were for the Measurements of Student Progress, High School Proficiency exams and high school End-Of- Course Exams.

Third through tenth graders were assessed in math and reading, fourth, seventh and tenth graders were assessed in writing and fifth eighth and tenth graders were assessed in science.

Dayton School District

The Dayton School District saw some real improvement in reading test scores for school year 2011-12 with 100 percent of fourth graders meeting the state standards. In math, third graders pulled ahead this year with 78 percent meeting state standards. However, just 28 percent of fifth graders met math requirements.

In writing, Dayton students showed slight chang- es in meeting state standards. In science, the fifth graders made big gains with 71 percent meeting requirements, up from less than 60 percent the year before.

Dayton Superinten- dent Doug Johnson said the school district is in the process of reviewing scores. He was proud of the fourth grade reading scores and the science scores for grades fifth and eighth that showed improvement. And the district will be taking the scores to heart.

"One of our goals for this year is to be more intentional about analyzing the data and making instructional decisions based on that data," Johnson said.

Waitsburg School District

The Waitsburg school district showed fewer stu- dents in grades third and fourth met reading profi- ciency standards than the two previous years. Fifth, sixth and seventh grades showed reading progress with seventh grade jumping from less than 40 percent meeting state standards in 2010-11 to 60 percent in 2011-12.

Math scores were down across the board for third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth grades. Eighth graders showed the greatest decrease, from 60 percent meeting proficiency in 2010-11 to 22 percent meeting proficiency in 2011-12.

Writing scores for Waits- burg remained the same for fourth graders from the previous school year, while seventh grade saw a bit of a boost and tenth grade saw a bit of a decrease in students meeting state standards.

Waitsburg students ex- celled in science with fifth, eighth and tenth graders meeting the about the same testing scores as the previous year or reaching slightly above those previ- ous scores.

Superintendent Dr. Car- ol Clarke said she likes to track the classes over the years and see how well students meet state standards at the high school level. She said the math and reading scores at the high school level are high and the reading and writing scores are 100 percent. She said the state counted for home school students this year and that data will be reconciled.

Clarke said she and the staff are happy about some scores and disappointed on others. The main area of improvement will be math.

"Math is truly an area we want to focus on," Clarke said.

Prescott School District

The Prescott School District saw drops in students meeting reading standards in third, fourth, eighth and tenth grades and some improvement in the middle grades. In 2010-11, tenth graders at Prescott were at about 95 percent in meeting state reading standards. The recent scores show that number is now 65 percent.

In math, there was im- provement in the middle and upper grades and a sharp decrease in third grade, with less drastic decreases in fourth and fifth grades. In 2010-11, about 80 percent of Prescott third graders met state standards in math. In 2011-12, just 37 percent met state standards in math.

Writing scores in Prescott decreased in all grades that were tested - fourth, seventh and tenth. Science scores show a slight decrease in fifth grade and increases in eighth and tenth grades.

Prescott Principal Jodi Thew said the new scores show the fourth grade stu- dents need some extra help.

"That's a class I'm going to be watching," she said.

She also pointed out the solid writing scores at the high school level.

"There are a few things to celebrate and a few things to work on," Thew said.

The Prescott School District will be making sure to align the instruction with the state standards in the coming year, she added.