By Nicole Falco
The Central High School District held steady with nearly 73 percent of its eighth graders scoring on levels three and four on the middle school state math assessment in 2003. The results of the test, administered in March 2003, were released in late October.
A student's performance on these tests is measured using a four-level system. Level four shows a superior knowledge and consistent understanding of the subject matter; level three shows a general understanding; level two a partial understanding; and level one shows minimal understanding. Students who score on levels one and two receive academic intervention services. Levels three and four are considered "passing."
District 30 fourth graders showed the greatest improvement, having increased to 94 percent of students on levels three and four in 2003 from 85 percent in 2002. Approximately 91 percent of students in Districts 13 and 24 scored on levels three and four. In 2002, 85 percent reached levels three and four in District 13 and 87 percent in District 24. Of the three districts, District 30 is the only one on par with the Nassau County average of 94 percent on levels three and four. As usual, all three elementary districts scored well above the statewide average of 78 percent.
In the high school district, 72.7 percent of students scored on levels three and four, compared to 74 percent in 2002. The Nassau County average was also 72.7; statewide only about half of all eighth graders scored on levels three and four.
Central High School District
In 2001, the high school district had just over 54 percent of its students on levels three and four. In 2002, the district celebrated a 20 percent increase and moved from the top of the bottom third of Nassau County districts to the midpoint. In 2003, the percent of students on levels three and four may have remained constant, but the district's rank in the county dropped back down to the top of the bottom third.
At last month's regular board meeting, Dr. Lois Austen, the new assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, unveiled the district's goals to help both special education and the general population students perform better on the state assessments in both math and English language arts. For two consecutive years, 54 percent of students scored on levels three and four on the ELA exam.
Besides continuing to offer academic intervention in the seventh grade and the eighth grade prior to the assessments, Austen said the district plans to focus on closing learning gaps and gaps in instructional delivery. Meetings are planned with ELA and math teachers, principals and department directors; the district will establish entry and exit criteria for student and teacher intervention programs; and the district will monitor performance through the use of an electronic portfolio.
While the high school district looks to strengthen its performance on the eighth-grade assessments, it has increased its ranking among Nassau County districts in regard to the percent of students who graduated with an advanced regents diploma. In 2002, the district ranked 16 out of 44 districts, up from 30 out of 44 in 2001.
"The Valley Stream Central High School District performs exceptionally well on high school regents exams, which are the measure for high school graduation," said Dr. Marc Bernstein, interim superintendent of the high school district. "The middle school tests are utilized to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses to help us address each individual child to work toward graduation success.
"I believe the commissioner of education has intentionally made the middle school test extremely difficult so that schools would err on the side of caution, so that all schools' students identified by the middle school test as in need of help [would get] that additional assistance to guarantee high school graduation."
In 2002, 75 percent graduated with the advanced diploma, according to the state report card; in 2003, 77 percent earned the advanced diploma, according to the district. Students are required to pass eight regents exams to be eligible for the advanced regents diploma. A regular regents diploma, which is now a requirement for the class of 2005, requires passing five exams. Last year, more than 95 percent of graduates passed five regents exams with a score of 55 or better.
Elementary districts
When Dr. Elizabeth Lison, superintendent in District 13, first saw that more than 90 percent of all fourth graders scored on levels three and four on the math assessment, she was happy. She was further elated by the percent increase from 2002.
However, the rest of the county also did well, which meant the county average increased from 88 percent in 2002 to 94 percent in 2003 and the district's ranking decreased.
"Overall, being in the 90s is very good," Lison said. "Of course we want 100 percent on levels three and four."
To continue to increase the percent on levels three and four, the district will continue to offer academic intervention services. AI services are offered to students identified as in need of help both prior to the assessments and after the assessments, leading up to the eighth-grade tests. Besides teacher evaluations, the district administers standardized tests at most grade levels to identify students' progress.
Also, Lison said the district will not only focus on what knowledge will be tested, but also on how to take a test.
Dr. Edward Fale, superintendent of schools in District 24, said the district met its goals for the 2003 test; however, "the task still remains to leave no child behind."
Fale said the goal was 85 percent on levels three and four. With almost 91 percent on the higher levels, the district has accomplished that, but the ultimate goal is always 100 percent, Fale said.
Like District 13, District 24's scores were slightly below the county average of 94 percent. In order to increase the number of students on the higher levels, District 24 continues to ensure small class sizes in the first grade and offer additional academic intervention programs during lunch, at recess and before school. District 24 continues to offer Operation Success, its after-school program, and the lunchtime math club.
All districts know that students' performance fluctuates each year and the simplest reason is that there is a different test administered and different students taking it each year.
For that reason, Gene Nyitray, assistant superintendent in District 30, said, "We're always cautious when looking at the results. Are we happy when kids do well? Absolutely." Nyitray said his district remains cautious despite a nine point increase in 2003 to 94 percent.
Like Districts 13 and 24, District 30 also uses standardized tests, besides the fourth-grade assessments, to monitor student progress. As early as possible, the district looks to identify students in need of academic intervention and will continue to provide those services, if necessary, until the students graduate.
"High stakes tests are important to the district, they're important to the community, but there are some variables that can really affect how a school or district performs that sometimes does not accurately reflect how strong a district program really is," Nyitray said.
District 24's Fale shared a similar view. He said the assessments don't account for a bad day, a sick child or a poor test-taker.
"That's why most educators would like to see, in addition to these paper and pencil tests, hands-on projects, something more....so the kids can demonstrate their knowledge in another way," Fale said.
Still, Fale believes it is a district's responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind, in accordance with the federal mandate, but he said the state assessments are often viewed as a source of "stress and tension" by the students.
"New York state never intended the tests to have a pass/fail connotation.... They were intended to show [the districts] were meeting standards," Fale said.
