Malverne Superintendent: Students improved academically in 2011-12 school year

As officials of the Malverne School District continue to work toward ensuring greater academic achievement among students, the district recently announced a number of academic improvements and successes during the 2011-12 school year.

During the 2011-12 school year, 172 Advanced Placement exams were administered, and 59 percent of students achieved a score of 3 or higher — a significant increase from 2008, when only 14 percent did so. In addition, the number of students who achieved scores of 4 or 5 also rose dramatically from 4 percent in 2008 to 30 percent in 2012. This, said Superintendent James Hunderfund, represents an overall increase in high scores of more than 700 percent.

This past year, the College Board awarded Malverne High School with the “Recognition of Excellence” award for the district’s AP program.

The district also cited its strong Regents exam results, which indicate positive academic growth over the last several years. There was a 27 percentage-point increase in the number of students passing the Algebra 2/Trigonometry Regents exam, as 70 percent of students passed, compared with only 43 percent two years ago.

Furthermore, the number of students passing the English Regents exam increased from 76 percent in 2009-10 to 93 percent in 2011-12, while the number of students passing the Geometry Regents during the same period rose from 63 to 80 percent.

“Our Regents scores were virtually all improved, and in the 90 percentile of passing,” Hunderfund told the Herald, noting that one of the district’s greatest achievements was that the class of 2012 set a school record, with 96 percent of students earning Regents diplomas.

Board of Education President Marguerite O’ Connor lauded Hunderfund and the administration for challenging students to grow academically. “I look at the work done by this team, and I only see positive,” she said of the academic improvements. “They work hard, and are dedicating the time and energy [that’s needed].”