By:Andrew Coen
The math scores of Lawrence's eighth-graders jumped 11 percentage points, with 69 percent meeting state standards in 2004, compared with 58 percent last year. The proportion of fourth-graders meeting the standards set by the state rose from 86 to 89 percent.
According to Michelle Lineal, Lawrence's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, Lawrence is one of only a few school districts to show improvement on both the fourth- and eighth-grade math and English Language Arts exams this year. In English, District 15 eighth-graders improved their performance on the test by 12 percentage points, from 47 percent to 59 percent meeting the state standards, while fourth-graders showed slight improvement, with 70 percent meeting or exceeding state standards compared with 69 percent last year.
"I think we are really going in the right direction," said Lineal. "I always knew we could do it, and now we have tangible evidence that we can. We are on the way up."
Lineal attributed the huge strides made by the eighth-graders in large part to a decision to have them take Math A a year earlier than in the past, when they took it in ninth grade. "It's a much more rigorous course," she said, "and there is much more alignment with the math standards for high-stakes exams at the secondary level."
"The results this year are a reflection of a team effort, where the professional staff worked closely with the supervisory staff in formulating an action plan," said Lawrence Middle School Principal Dr. Mark Kavarsky. "That team effort has resulted in children feeling better in what they do with great improvement and success."
The Number Five School in Cedarhurst fared the best of the elementary schools, with a perfect 100 percent of 60 fourth-graders who took the assessment meeting state standards, up from 93 percent last year.
The Number Two School in Inwood was second best in the district, with 90 percent of fourth-graders meeting the standards, followed by the now-defunct Number One School in Lawrence, at 83 percent, and the Number Six School in Woodmere, at 80 percent.
Hewlett-Woodmere
Ninety-four percent of Hewlett-Woodmere fourth-graders met the state standards on the 2004 math assessment exam, compared with 95 percent in 2003. The results also showed that 86 percent of the Woodmere Middle School eighth-graders met the state standards, compared with 87 percent last year.
Hewlett Elementary School fourth-graders were nearly perfect, with 99.3 percent of 136 fourth-graders meeting or exceeding the state standards, while Ogden Elementary School in Valley Stream had 88 percent meet the standards.
"We have a tradition of success with mathematics, and because the students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of math in a variety of ways on the assessment, I think that leads to higher scores," said Hewlett Elementary School Principal Sandra Pensak, whose school had 97 percent meet state standards last year. "There is a really good rhythm to the math instruction here."
Pensak also credited the commitment of Hewlett parents to the success of the students. The school holds two family math nights every November, at which the 100 or so second-graders and their parents participate in games with teachers to show what can be done to help them with math at home in a fun way. "The partnership of the parents plays a big role in our math success," said Pensak. "We have great parent support who want to be a part of their kids' success."
Susan Pratt, Hewlett-Woodmere's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said that the district has implemented more problem-solving into the math curriculum at both the elementary and middle-school levels during the past year.
"At the highest level, we are always trying to improve the students' ability to problem-solve," said Pensak.
District 14 School Board President Howard Weinick said that while he is happy with the results, he feels that too much emphasis is placed on standardized tests. "What matters most to me is the individual growth of each student, and each student reaching their full potential," said Weinick. "Wherever this might place a student on a standardized test, so be it. If the tests point to particular areas that need more attention, then that must be worked on. Hewlett-Woodmere has a wonderful instructional staff and administrative team who are experts in making sure these matters get addressed."
Weinick continued, "It is a sad day in education when a teacher sacrifices the overall well-being of a child for a few points on a standardized exam. We have extraordinary students who display their talents and knowledge in a wide variety of testing situations and performance areas. The purpose of these standardized tests is not really to be diagnostic for the student, but to assess benchmarks and be a type of report card for the school. There are better ways of doing all three."
Comments about this story? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
