By ALEX COSTELLO
The ELA tests are given every year to students in grades 3 through 8. Based on their scores, students are placed in levels, with 1 being the worst and 4 being the best. Levels 1 and 2 are considered failing. No less than 86 percent of students in any grade in both districts placed below Level 3.
“Our percentages at every grade level exceed the Nassau County average, and are even higher than the state average,” said Island Park Superintendent Dr. Edward Price. “We were very pleased.”
The scores for both districts are above the state average, which was only 77 percent placing in Levels 3 or 4 across all grades. Meaning that, for every grade, students in Oceanside and Island Park schools scored significantly higher than the state average for the ELAs.
The ELA is a threefold test: it tests students on listening, writing and reading, the three main components of the English/Language Arts curriculum. And while the test for each grade isn’t put together exactly the same, they all feature similar components. There are multiple choice questions based on reading passages, as well as questions based on passages that are read to the students. The test is more difficult for the eighth graders, incorporating an essay section in addition to the other question types.
“Some years, the students are tested in writing essays and the grammar component of it and the structure of it, and some years it’s just an editing passage,” said Diane Provvido, elementary ELA and social studies supervisor for Oceanside. “So it really is an extensive test of all the English/Language Arts standards.”
Both districts were also proud of the fact that they don’t “test prep,” or teach specifically to the test. The districts believe that their curriculums were strong enough that the skills the students learn in class is enough to prepare them for the exams, rather than teachers having to take time to specifically teach the students things that will appear on the test.
“I used to work in the city, and [test prep] was built into our program,” said Beth Zirogiannis, ELA supervisor for grades 6, 7, and 8 in Oceanside. The month before the test, you disregard the curriculum and you do all this test prep. We don’t do that here in Oceanside, which is great.”
Another factor both schools attributed to their scores was the staff development both have implemented over recent years. “I think what happens is, when you do things correctly, it takes time for them to build,” said Dr. Herb Brown, the Oceanside superintendent. “I think we’re doing things correctly in the sense that we’re providing new materials in the schools, we’re providing staff development to the teachers.
“And over the past few years, the scores keep going up every year,” Brown said.
Price said that the most important part of getting the test results was not seeing that the schools did well (although that was good, he said), but that it gives the schools an opportunity to see, by looking at the questions, what students are excelling in and what they need improvement in. They can not only focus on improving students who placed in the Level 1 or 2 range, but also on moving the students from Level 3 up to Level 4.
“So that’s really the important part of these tests: the process and the testing program, not the specific scores at any point in time,” said Price. “Of course, we’re pleased that our students are doing well. But that’s what we’d expect if we’re using the data appropriately.”
Comments about this story? ACostello@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.
