By Richard Tedesco
Dr. Vicki Karant, Lawrence District 15 assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said the most reading scores for grades 3 through 8 districtwide are "decently" above the state average for those grades. She's satisfied that the district's grade school readers are "making adequate progress."
At levels 3 and 4, which denote the percentage of student readers partially meeting or meeting state standards, the district is performing above the state average, Dr. Karant said (see accompanying chart).
Sounding a theme familiar to those who attend Lawrence Board of Education meetings, Dr. Karant pointed out that the growing percentage of minority students in the district - often referred to as "transient students" - has had a dampening effect on the overall reading test scores in the district.
"In the state as a whole, black and hispanic students are not doing as well as white or asian students," she observed.
Just over half of all the students in the district - 51 percent - live in Inwood, where there is a higher percentage of English language learners.
Statistically, income level generally reflects students' learning ability, and Dr. Karant noted that the average household income for Inwood is $54,156, compared to the statewide average of $62,596 per household, according to 2005 census data.
"It's always a challenge for the school district when you have students living in poverty," she said.
She also noted that 46 percent more English language learners took the reading test this past January than had taken the English reading test last year. "We also have transients in our population," Dr. Karant said, pointing to 43 new students entering grade school in the district during the current school year. The district also now contains a slightly higher average percentage of students who have learning disabilities, she said.
Many of these students are transferring in from city schools, where the quality of education is generally presumed to be below the quality of education in suburban school districts such as Lawrence.
Dr. Karant also noted that the degree of difficulty in mastering English language skills becomes greater as the students progress in grade level. In grades 1-5 students are just learning to read, while in middle school grades beyond that, students are "reading to learn" as she put it. "The reading becomes more challenging," she said.
District 15 administrators are currently analyzing the recent reading test data from January's scores with an eye to "individualize" programs for grade school and middle school students.
On the middle school level, Lawrence plans to initiate a compter-based reading program to assist students, theorizing that PCs will exercise an intrinsic appeal for these young minds while providing a ready means of quantifying progress.
District 15 educators will be working with Northwest Education Association, an organization that specializes in reading and math education, to create computerized tests and provide assessment tools. The district will draw on title 1 funds to engage the company, she said.
"We'll find out what their individual needs are," Dr. Karant explained.
All students in grades 6-12 will also be given summer reading assignments to encourage improvement in English language skills. "The best way to improve test scores is to read," she said.
