By Nicole Falco
The percent of fourth graders in all four schools in District 13 that scored on levels three and four, meaning they met or exceeded state standards, increased from approximately 81 percent in 2001 to 85 percent, with less than one percent performing at level one, the lowest level.
However, the percent of fourth graders in District 30 that scored on levels three and four fell slightly from approximately 82 percent last year to 79 percent. In District 24 there was an almost 10 percent decrease in the percent of students scoring at levels three and four to 81.4; and eighth graders in the Central High School District that performed on levels three and four decreased from 59 percent in 2001 to 54.4 percent this year.
Statewide, only 61.5 percent of fourth graders scored at levels three and four and only 44.3 percent of eighth grade students.
Despite decreases, the percent of students in all four districts that scored on levels three and four is still greater than in 1999 when the state test scores began to be reported.
Central High School District
"There was good news and bad news. The good news is we have reduced the number of failing students to the lowest level ever. It is the first time in the history of the district that we've had such a low failure rate," said Dr. Ronald Valenti, superintendent of schools.
While the bad news, of course, is the percent decrease of students on levels three and four, less than one percent of the more than 700 eighth graders at North and South High Schools and Memorial Junior High School scored at level one. Last year, five percent scored at level one.
While he is happy that fewer district students scored on level one, of the decrease Valenti said, "I take a view that, quite frankly, there are no excuses. I have no difficulties with state testing and I have no difficulties with accountability."
In addition to academic intervention programs in the seventh and eighth grades, the high school district will continue to take steps to ensure greater student achievement.
A member of the central administration, either Valenti, Dr. Marie Connelly, deputy superintendent, or Dr. Lois Colletta, assistant superintendent, will meet with eighth grade teachers at each school on a weekly basis to discuss students' progress.
"This will add both a level of urgency to the situation as well as a level of priority to it," Valenti said.
The district will also implement scheduling changes so that students performing at the same level are grouped together so that teachers can maintain a better sense of what their goals should be. The district has already reviewed its curriculum to ensure it is aligned with state standards and there will also be a focus on staff development.
"Obviously classes do differ from year to year and many of our students come from districts outside of Valley Stream, but once they get here in the seventh grade they are our responsibility. You can't lay blame otherwise we will be laying blame all the way back to the womb of the mother," Valenti said. "When all is said and done we still have an obligation to get youngsters to levels three and four. We didn't do as well as we liked, but we believe we are going to do better next time around."
Elementary districts
Since 1999, the percent of students in District 13 at levels three and four has increased slowly but steadily, and while the district is pleased, Superintendent of Schools Margaret Daugherty said the ELA assessment is still only one test given on one day.
In addition to staff development, academic intervention during and after school as well as constant tweaking of its curriculum to maintain alignment with state standards, District 13 maintains individual student assessment files of their entire school performance leading up to the ELA and math assessments. Daugherty said the broad look at the students' overall performance allows teachers to determine what the students' strengths and weaknesses are and, therefore, what areas they should target.
"We avoid the test prep approach. We are teaching the way kids have to learn in order to live in a global society with all of the expectations living in the 21st century has come to have," Daugherty said.
While District 13 saw the only percent increase community-wide, District 24 saw the most significant decrease. Last year, more than 90 percent of District 24 students scored at levels three and four on the ELA tests. This year there were just over 81 percent of students.
"The goal we had established district-wide was a minimum of 80 percent on levels three and four with a minimum of 25 percent on level four. We did reach our goal for the district," said Dr. Edward Fale, superintendent of schools. "There was a decline in the district that was somewhat expected. Whenever there is an improvement program in school, you can't expect improvement to be linear."
According to Fale, the percentages may have decreased, but the actual number of students who met or exceeded state standards remains steady. For instance, 81.4 percent scored on levels three and four, which actually means 123 of District 24's 150 fourth grade students met or exceeded state standards. Last year, there were 128 fourth graders district-wide, with 91 percent reaching levels three and four on the ELA test or 116 students.
"I'm not satisfied with the results this year; no one would want to see results decrease, but still the trend in the district is improving," Fale said.
The district will continue to strive toward better results with programs including its one-to-one reading program, full-day kindergarten, small class size initiative and early intervention programs. Fale said the district is considering another intervention program for third and fourth graders as a pilot program at the Brooklyn Avenue School.
In District 30, Forest Road School was the only one of the district's three schools to show a percent increase in the number of students scoring on levels three and four from 77 percent in 2001 to almost 85 percent in 2002.
While there was a slight decrease district-wide, District 30 has shown significant improvements since 1999, when scores were first reported. For instance, in 1999, less than eight percent of students scored on level four compared to almost 31 percent this year.
No administrator is satisfied with a decrease, but many point to the fact that no two classes can be the same and one test does not determine their entire school performance.
"You can't look at a fourth grade child and make predictions about future success...but the tests do give you a good idea of how the programs that are in place are working and a comparison with other schools year to year," Fale said.
