Sunday, August 17, 2008
Reaction to the PSSA scores from district officials
Another in the BCCT series on the 2008 PSSA scores
Reaction to the PSSA scores from district officials
BENSALEM: “CONSISTENT PROGRESS”
The district earned Adequate Yearly Progress for a second year in a row, but improvement still needs to be made, Superintendent James Lombardo said.
“What’s most important to me is not achieving an arbitrary point, but instead consistent, significant progress,” Lombardo said.
Bensalem High School is in Corrective Action for a second year because of its special education students’ performance on the PSSA math and reading tests, according to state results. In addition, Samuel K. Faust, Benjamin Rush and Valley elementary schools received a Warning either because not enough of its minority, special education or economically disadvantaged students performed at grade level.
The district has methods in place or will implement various strategies this school year to address the performance discrepancies, Lombardo said.
BRISTOL BOROUGH: “SUPER JOB”
As a whole, Bristol is moving in the right direction, Superintendent Broadus Davis said.
He pointed to the third grade’s strong performance on the test.
“This is a credit to the grade level teachers and support staff and, most importantly, to the hard work and dedication of the students for doing a super job,” Davis said.
However, improvements are still needed at the district’s high school level, he said.
Bristol Borough Junior/Senior High School received a Warning this year because its overall student population and its economically disadvantaged subgroup did not have a high enough proficiency rate on the 2008 PSSA reading test. In order to improve the high school students’ performance, “the district administrative team will provide on-going staff development and training in data analysis as well as support in reading and math,” Davis said.
BRISTOL TOWNSHIP: “GREAT IMPROVEMENTS”
The district “is being watched very closely” because of its recent student performance gains, Superintendent Ellen Budman said. For the first time in several years, Harry S Truman High School made Adequate Yearly Progress, according to state 2008 PSSA results.
“We’ve made great improvements. We’re closing the gap between minority and white students. This is what we do here,” Budman said.
But some improvements are still needed, specifically at Clara Barton, Lafayette and Abraham Lincoln elementary schools, she said. Not enough black students at Barton achieved proficiency in reading. Lafayette’s overall population as well as the economically disadvantaged subgroup did not achieve proficiency on the reading PSSA tests. And not enough of Lincoln’s black and special education students performed at grade level in reading.
The district is implementing various strategies to correct the shortfalls in performance, Budman said.
“I expect all schools to make AYP next year,” she said.
BUCKS COUNTY MONTESSORI CHARTER SCHOOL: “REAPS BENEFITS”
“As far as what we do, we really don’t teach to the test. We have a really rigorous curriculum. Our scores tend to be very strong in third grade and increase each year,” said Principal Brian Long.
By the time they get to the highest grade in the school, sixth grade, scores tend to be at 100 percent proficient, he said.
That was the case with this year’s sixth graders for their math and reading scores.
“It’s something we really pride ourselves in. We have kids work with materials early on. It reaps benefits later on,” said Long.
Students learn advanced concepts in the Montessori curriculum and end up with a strong understanding of math and reading, he said.
BUCKS COUNTY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL: “NOT SHOCKED”
The performance of Bucks County Technical High School students on the 2008 PSSA tests left school Administrative Director Scott R. Parks “disappointed but not shocked.”
The comprehensive technical high school that serves the Bensalem, Bristol, Bristol Township, Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury school districts achieved Adequate Yearly Progress for the first time in 2007
But it received a Warning from the state this year because not enough of its overall population and special education subgroup achieved proficiency in reading. In addition, not enough of its white students and special education students were proficient in math.
Parks blames it on a combina tion of complacency and a learning curve the teachers are trying to overcome as they figure out how to use new technology in the classroom to deliver their lessons. In order to regain AYP status, teachers will work to master the technology and the school will require students clearly in need of additional learning support to attend mandatory tutoring sessions. Parks said.
CENTENNIAL: “IMPRESSIVE GAINS”
“Last year, our high school, despite being classified as Corrective Action 2 [first year], saw impressive gains in mathematics,” said Jennifer Foight-Cressman, director of teaching and learning.
The district has made AYP for the third year in a row.
While William Tennent High school will remain in Corrective Action status for one more year, its “Making Progress” status means that students made great strides in both mathematics and reading in all populations, including the special education population, said Foight-Cressman.
The district attributes the successes in part to periodic benchmark assessments of skills to make sure they are up to state standards, the continual refinement of the high school reading program and the use of tools like Study Island. Because two schools have slipped into “warning” status, their principals will be working closely with teachers, special education supervisors and Foight-Cressman to identify the root causes of low scores and create a plan to raise the performance levels in the coming year.
CENTER FOR STUDENT LEARNING: READING SCORES DECREASE
The center’s AYP status is School Improvement II, which means it has been trying to make Adequate Yearly Progress for the third consecutive year. Grade 8 math scores increased from last year but reading scores decreased. Grade 11 math and reading scores decreased.
Typically, schools with CSL’s status have to engage students in tutoring and further assessments. The school also has to work on an overall improvement plan.
A school official was unavailable for comment.
COUNCIL ROCK: “QUALITY INSTRUCTION”
All schools in the traditionally high-performing district earned Adequate Yearly Progress status, according to state results.
“We continue to emphasize quality instruction in the classrooms,” Superintendent Mark Klein said. “While we are pleased with the scores on the state assessment, we measure progress for our students across many measures over the course of the school year.”
MORRISVILLE: “SIGNIFICANT CHANGE”
The district and all schools made Adequate Yearly Progress this year. The 11th grade math scores went up significantly, with 28 percent higher scores than last year.
There is still an increase in 11th grade math scores after adding the data of students who are in alternative placements.
“I attribute this to the hard work of our administrators Ferrara as well as our teachers. Through analysis and focused instruction we were able to affect significant change,” said Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson.
NESHAMINY: FOCUS ON SUBGROUPS
The district did not meet AYP because of special education reading.
Although Poquessing and Maple Point Middle Schools did make it, Sandburg and Neshaminy Middle School did not because of special education scores in math and reading.
The high school’s math and reading scores increased double digits over last year’s figures and that school improved in special education, too. But since that Middletown school’s economically disadvantaged students didn’t meet the reading targets, Neshaminy High School is in Corrective Action II.
Neshaminy Superintendent Paul Kadri compared increasing student performance to long distance running.
“As a district, we wish we made AYP,” he said. “We’re sad about the high school, too, but they had a wonderful year. We’re pretty excited about the double digit increase. We need to look and see what’s going on [with the economtion, formative reading assessments and other measures, said district spokeswoman Ann Langtry.
Pennsbury High School made the necessary improvements to be placed in the category of “making progress,” though it’s still in corrective action status.
The high school is in its second year of improvement with the special education subgroup.
Charles Boehm and Pennwood middle schools, which were in warning status last year, are both now making AYP.
SCHOOL LANE CHARTER SCHOOL: YEARLONG FOCUS HELPED
The charter school off Bristol Pike in Bensalem made Adequate Yearly Progress with over 70 percent of its students demonstrating proficiency in math and nearly 70 percent scoring proficient or better in reading.
Karen Schade, the school’s principal, attributes student performance growth to a yearlong focus on reading and vocabulary instruction.
The school serves about 550 students in kindergarten through eighth-grade who live in Bensalem, Philadelphia and other surrounding communities.
Comments compiled by education reporters Joan Hellyer, Manasee Wagh and Rachel Canelli.
Reaction to the PSSA scores from district officials
BENSALEM: “CONSISTENT PROGRESS”
The district earned Adequate Yearly Progress for a second year in a row, but improvement still needs to be made, Superintendent James Lombardo said.
“What’s most important to me is not achieving an arbitrary point, but instead consistent, significant progress,” Lombardo said.
Bensalem High School is in Corrective Action for a second year because of its special education students’ performance on the PSSA math and reading tests, according to state results. In addition, Samuel K. Faust, Benjamin Rush and Valley elementary schools received a Warning either because not enough of its minority, special education or economically disadvantaged students performed at grade level.
The district has methods in place or will implement various strategies this school year to address the performance discrepancies, Lombardo said.
BRISTOL BOROUGH: “SUPER JOB”
As a whole, Bristol is moving in the right direction, Superintendent Broadus Davis said.
He pointed to the third grade’s strong performance on the test.
“This is a credit to the grade level teachers and support staff and, most importantly, to the hard work and dedication of the students for doing a super job,” Davis said.
However, improvements are still needed at the district’s high school level, he said.
Bristol Borough Junior/Senior High School received a Warning this year because its overall student population and its economically disadvantaged subgroup did not have a high enough proficiency rate on the 2008 PSSA reading test. In order to improve the high school students’ performance, “the district administrative team will provide on-going staff development and training in data analysis as well as support in reading and math,” Davis said.
BRISTOL TOWNSHIP: “GREAT IMPROVEMENTS”
The district “is being watched very closely” because of its recent student performance gains, Superintendent Ellen Budman said. For the first time in several years, Harry S Truman High School made Adequate Yearly Progress, according to state 2008 PSSA results.
“We’ve made great improvements. We’re closing the gap between minority and white students. This is what we do here,” Budman said.
But some improvements are still needed, specifically at Clara Barton, Lafayette and Abraham Lincoln elementary schools, she said. Not enough black students at Barton achieved proficiency in reading. Lafayette’s overall population as well as the economically disadvantaged subgroup did not achieve proficiency on the reading PSSA tests. And not enough of Lincoln’s black and special education students performed at grade level in reading.
The district is implementing various strategies to correct the shortfalls in performance, Budman said.
“I expect all schools to make AYP next year,” she said.
BUCKS COUNTY MONTESSORI CHARTER SCHOOL: “REAPS BENEFITS”
“As far as what we do, we really don’t teach to the test. We have a really rigorous curriculum. Our scores tend to be very strong in third grade and increase each year,” said Principal Brian Long.
By the time they get to the highest grade in the school, sixth grade, scores tend to be at 100 percent proficient, he said.
That was the case with this year’s sixth graders for their math and reading scores.
“It’s something we really pride ourselves in. We have kids work with materials early on. It reaps benefits later on,” said Long.
Students learn advanced concepts in the Montessori curriculum and end up with a strong understanding of math and reading, he said.
BUCKS COUNTY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL: “NOT SHOCKED”
The performance of Bucks County Technical High School students on the 2008 PSSA tests left school Administrative Director Scott R. Parks “disappointed but not shocked.”
The comprehensive technical high school that serves the Bensalem, Bristol, Bristol Township, Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury school districts achieved Adequate Yearly Progress for the first time in 2007
But it received a Warning from the state this year because not enough of its overall population and special education subgroup achieved proficiency in reading. In addition, not enough of its white students and special education students were proficient in math.
Parks blames it on a combina tion of complacency and a learning curve the teachers are trying to overcome as they figure out how to use new technology in the classroom to deliver their lessons. In order to regain AYP status, teachers will work to master the technology and the school will require students clearly in need of additional learning support to attend mandatory tutoring sessions. Parks said.
CENTENNIAL: “IMPRESSIVE GAINS”
“Last year, our high school, despite being classified as Corrective Action 2 [first year], saw impressive gains in mathematics,” said Jennifer Foight-Cressman, director of teaching and learning.
The district has made AYP for the third year in a row.
While William Tennent High school will remain in Corrective Action status for one more year, its “Making Progress” status means that students made great strides in both mathematics and reading in all populations, including the special education population, said Foight-Cressman.
The district attributes the successes in part to periodic benchmark assessments of skills to make sure they are up to state standards, the continual refinement of the high school reading program and the use of tools like Study Island. Because two schools have slipped into “warning” status, their principals will be working closely with teachers, special education supervisors and Foight-Cressman to identify the root causes of low scores and create a plan to raise the performance levels in the coming year.
CENTER FOR STUDENT LEARNING: READING SCORES DECREASE
The center’s AYP status is School Improvement II, which means it has been trying to make Adequate Yearly Progress for the third consecutive year. Grade 8 math scores increased from last year but reading scores decreased. Grade 11 math and reading scores decreased.
Typically, schools with CSL’s status have to engage students in tutoring and further assessments. The school also has to work on an overall improvement plan.
A school official was unavailable for comment.
COUNCIL ROCK: “QUALITY INSTRUCTION”
All schools in the traditionally high-performing district earned Adequate Yearly Progress status, according to state results.
“We continue to emphasize quality instruction in the classrooms,” Superintendent Mark Klein said. “While we are pleased with the scores on the state assessment, we measure progress for our students across many measures over the course of the school year.”
MORRISVILLE: “SIGNIFICANT CHANGE”
The district and all schools made Adequate Yearly Progress this year. The 11th grade math scores went up significantly, with 28 percent higher scores than last year.
There is still an increase in 11th grade math scores after adding the data of students who are in alternative placements.
“I attribute this to the hard work of our administrators Ferrara as well as our teachers. Through analysis and focused instruction we were able to affect significant change,” said Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson.
NESHAMINY: FOCUS ON SUBGROUPS
The district did not meet AYP because of special education reading.
Although Poquessing and Maple Point Middle Schools did make it, Sandburg and Neshaminy Middle School did not because of special education scores in math and reading.
The high school’s math and reading scores increased double digits over last year’s figures and that school improved in special education, too. But since that Middletown school’s economically disadvantaged students didn’t meet the reading targets, Neshaminy High School is in Corrective Action II.
Neshaminy Superintendent Paul Kadri compared increasing student performance to long distance running.
“As a district, we wish we made AYP,” he said. “We’re sad about the high school, too, but they had a wonderful year. We’re pretty excited about the double digit increase. We need to look and see what’s going on [with the economtion, formative reading assessments and other measures, said district spokeswoman Ann Langtry.
Pennsbury High School made the necessary improvements to be placed in the category of “making progress,” though it’s still in corrective action status.
The high school is in its second year of improvement with the special education subgroup.
Charles Boehm and Pennwood middle schools, which were in warning status last year, are both now making AYP.
SCHOOL LANE CHARTER SCHOOL: YEARLONG FOCUS HELPED
The charter school off Bristol Pike in Bensalem made Adequate Yearly Progress with over 70 percent of its students demonstrating proficiency in math and nearly 70 percent scoring proficient or better in reading.
Karen Schade, the school’s principal, attributes student performance growth to a yearlong focus on reading and vocabulary instruction.
The school serves about 550 students in kindergarten through eighth-grade who live in Bensalem, Philadelphia and other surrounding communities.
Comments compiled by education reporters Joan Hellyer, Manasee Wagh and Rachel Canelli.
Should PSSAs be factor in graduation?
Another in the BCCT series on the 2008 PSSA scores
Should PSSAs be factor in graduation?
By MANASEE WAGH
Though they place great value on increasing state assessment scores, most Bucks County school districts say they don’t consider those results the best indicator of academic performance.
As such, proficiency on the PSSAs shouldn’t be a determining factor for graduation, say many district officials. Most declined to provide percentages of how many students graduated with a less-than-proficient score.
“They have access to that data and whether they choose to provide it is up to them,” said Michael Race, deputy press secretary at the state Department of Education. To get a close estimation of how many graduates did poorly on the PSSAs, look at the number of graduates and the number of below-proficient scores during their junior year, he said, though that doesn’t provide the most accurate picture.
Comments across the county vary as to why PSSA proficiency shouldn’t be a graduation factor, but all respondents agree on one point: The state’s PSSA assessments don’t necessarily paint an accurate picture of a student’s abilities in the core areas of math and reading.
“The PSSAs are broad brush strokes of understanding,” said Barry Desko, Council Rock’s director of secondary education. The tests don’t measure how well a student may be performing in class, he said. Like other districts, Council Rock relies on other means of assessment besides the state exams.
Competency is based on how an individual performs in each curricular area through class work and course exams, Desko said.
“Kids in high school are taking so many tests. How many assessments do we need to give evidence of student achievement?” he said.
Desko’s sentiments were echoed in a number of other districts.
In Morrisville, which showed marked improvement in the PSSAs this year, students take quarterly assessments that are closely modeled after the state assessments. If an 11th -grade student fails to attain PSSA proficiency, he or she can graduate only after taking further steps.
Graduation requires a 2.0 grade point average as well as a good score on the quarterly district assessments in English and math. Students also must retake the state test in the fall of their senior year.
Those who fail to pass quarterly assessments must join small focus-instruction groups to strengthen the concepts they haven’t grasped.
“The problem is that the PSSA is one test,” said Elizabeth Yonson, Morrisville’s superintendent. During each quarter, the district is already teaching the state standards, she said. In fact, district quarterly assessments are more rigorous than the PSSAs, and the state wants to see Morrisville’s quarterly exams, she added.
The district has improved state assessment scores over three years because of curricular changes, demonstrating that the current system is working, said Yonson.
Centennial, Morrisville, New Hope-Solebury, Council Rock, Central Bucks, Palisades, Neshaminy, Pennridge and Pennsbury all said students usually do better on the PSSAs after retesting their senior year. Otherwise they have to complete other district assessments.
Palisades was one of the only districts to provide information about how many graduates did not pass the PSSAs.
About 14 percent of students in Palisades graduated this year with a less-than-proficient score in reading, while 22 percent of graduates did not pass the math PSSAs. In the writing assessment, 4.6 percent of graduates did not pass, said Rich Heffernan, principal of Palisades High School.
“Every district is different and every district has different challenges,” he said.
At Pennridge, 131 out of 587 graduates, or about 22 percent, failed one or more of the math, reading and writing tests after the second opportunity to take them, said Arlene Zielinski, the district’s assistant superintendent for programs. However, “a good portion” of those are special education students whose individual education plans were used for assessment instead, she added.
A disconnect exists between 11th -grade PSSA scores and graduation rates, said Sheila Ballen, director of communications at the state education department. At the same time, it’s a valuable means to evaluate a student, she said.
“The PSSA is a very good tool in assessing reading and math at certain grade levels,” Ballen said. “It gives us a good snapshot in time.”
From Steven Young’s point of view, the PSSAs are a gauge for whether students need more help in certain areas. Therefore, the goal is to attain a proficient or better score.
“However, this is an unlikely result given the variation in aptitude, disposition and life circumstance among students. It is also the case that some students simply do not test well,” said the New Hope-Solebury High School principal.
The way his district gets around a low score is by recognizing the individuality of each student, he said. Teachers use a variety of assessment tools to meet curricular objectives, including tests, project work, papers, oral assessments and formal presentations.
Young called this mixture of tools a “far superior” way to relying on the PSSA, “a single measure of progress.”
Before this year’s results were released, Superintendent Paul Kadri of Neshaminy, which failed to meet the state’s Adequate Yearly Progress standards, said the district doesn’t track how many graduates pass the PSSAs. Instead, it looks at a student’s individual education plan.
The district has implemented a kindergarten through 12-grade writing program as one way to improve scores next year.
In the meantime, state proficiency rate targets are increasing, from 54 percent in reading in 2007 to 63 percent this year, and 45 percent to 56 percent in math. By 2014, all students have to score proficient or better to keep up with federal No Child Left Behind standards.
Should PSSAs be factor in graduation?
By MANASEE WAGH
Though they place great value on increasing state assessment scores, most Bucks County school districts say they don’t consider those results the best indicator of academic performance.
As such, proficiency on the PSSAs shouldn’t be a determining factor for graduation, say many district officials. Most declined to provide percentages of how many students graduated with a less-than-proficient score.
“They have access to that data and whether they choose to provide it is up to them,” said Michael Race, deputy press secretary at the state Department of Education. To get a close estimation of how many graduates did poorly on the PSSAs, look at the number of graduates and the number of below-proficient scores during their junior year, he said, though that doesn’t provide the most accurate picture.
Comments across the county vary as to why PSSA proficiency shouldn’t be a graduation factor, but all respondents agree on one point: The state’s PSSA assessments don’t necessarily paint an accurate picture of a student’s abilities in the core areas of math and reading.
“The PSSAs are broad brush strokes of understanding,” said Barry Desko, Council Rock’s director of secondary education. The tests don’t measure how well a student may be performing in class, he said. Like other districts, Council Rock relies on other means of assessment besides the state exams.
Competency is based on how an individual performs in each curricular area through class work and course exams, Desko said.
“Kids in high school are taking so many tests. How many assessments do we need to give evidence of student achievement?” he said.
Desko’s sentiments were echoed in a number of other districts.
In Morrisville, which showed marked improvement in the PSSAs this year, students take quarterly assessments that are closely modeled after the state assessments. If an 11th -grade student fails to attain PSSA proficiency, he or she can graduate only after taking further steps.
Graduation requires a 2.0 grade point average as well as a good score on the quarterly district assessments in English and math. Students also must retake the state test in the fall of their senior year.
Those who fail to pass quarterly assessments must join small focus-instruction groups to strengthen the concepts they haven’t grasped.
“The problem is that the PSSA is one test,” said Elizabeth Yonson, Morrisville’s superintendent. During each quarter, the district is already teaching the state standards, she said. In fact, district quarterly assessments are more rigorous than the PSSAs, and the state wants to see Morrisville’s quarterly exams, she added.
The district has improved state assessment scores over three years because of curricular changes, demonstrating that the current system is working, said Yonson.
Centennial, Morrisville, New Hope-Solebury, Council Rock, Central Bucks, Palisades, Neshaminy, Pennridge and Pennsbury all said students usually do better on the PSSAs after retesting their senior year. Otherwise they have to complete other district assessments.
Palisades was one of the only districts to provide information about how many graduates did not pass the PSSAs.
About 14 percent of students in Palisades graduated this year with a less-than-proficient score in reading, while 22 percent of graduates did not pass the math PSSAs. In the writing assessment, 4.6 percent of graduates did not pass, said Rich Heffernan, principal of Palisades High School.
“Every district is different and every district has different challenges,” he said.
At Pennridge, 131 out of 587 graduates, or about 22 percent, failed one or more of the math, reading and writing tests after the second opportunity to take them, said Arlene Zielinski, the district’s assistant superintendent for programs. However, “a good portion” of those are special education students whose individual education plans were used for assessment instead, she added.
A disconnect exists between 11th -grade PSSA scores and graduation rates, said Sheila Ballen, director of communications at the state education department. At the same time, it’s a valuable means to evaluate a student, she said.
“The PSSA is a very good tool in assessing reading and math at certain grade levels,” Ballen said. “It gives us a good snapshot in time.”
From Steven Young’s point of view, the PSSAs are a gauge for whether students need more help in certain areas. Therefore, the goal is to attain a proficient or better score.
“However, this is an unlikely result given the variation in aptitude, disposition and life circumstance among students. It is also the case that some students simply do not test well,” said the New Hope-Solebury High School principal.
The way his district gets around a low score is by recognizing the individuality of each student, he said. Teachers use a variety of assessment tools to meet curricular objectives, including tests, project work, papers, oral assessments and formal presentations.
Young called this mixture of tools a “far superior” way to relying on the PSSA, “a single measure of progress.”
Before this year’s results were released, Superintendent Paul Kadri of Neshaminy, which failed to meet the state’s Adequate Yearly Progress standards, said the district doesn’t track how many graduates pass the PSSAs. Instead, it looks at a student’s individual education plan.
The district has implemented a kindergarten through 12-grade writing program as one way to improve scores next year.
In the meantime, state proficiency rate targets are increasing, from 54 percent in reading in 2007 to 63 percent this year, and 45 percent to 56 percent in math. By 2014, all students have to score proficient or better to keep up with federal No Child Left Behind standards.
All PSSA, All Day
The BCCT is devoting a large portion of today's edition, and this week, to examining the PSSA scores for the area.
ABCs The of your schools
PSSA: Changes coming to student evaluations
Revisions in the way special education students are evaluated could be in place by the 2009-10 school year, a state education department official said.
By JOAN HELLYER
The clock is ticking down to 2014.
But some area school districts could be in trouble if revisions are not made to the way special education scores are handled.
By 2014 the federal government wants all students to be learning on their respective grade level or higher.
Such performance is necessary to help students develop the academic skills they’ll need in adulthood, according to the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The federal government looks for proof of student performance levels, in part, in the results of standardized tests. The state administers the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests each spring to provide that information.
In response to the federal mandate, most local school systems have used a variety of methods in recent years to develop student ability. Some tactics have worked. Others have not.
Oftentimes, that’s because all students learn on grade level, educators say. Special education students, in particular, learn on grade levels three or four years lower than do their peers, educa tors said.
“It’s illogical to expect [the special education] population to perform at grade level,” said Bensalem Superintendent James Lombardo.
But yet they are expected to demonstrate grade-level proficiency on the PSSA mathematics and reading tests. The proficiency rate is a combination of students who scored in either the proficient or advanced range on the tests.
The special education students’ scores count as a subgroup against a school’s overall performance grade if at least 40 spe cial needs kids in a respective building take the test.
Larger numbers of schools are likely to fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress status, as required by NCLB, if special education scores continue to be included in the results the way they are now, Lombardo said.
“That’s because the [proficiency] threshold keeps rising. That makes it very, very difficult for the subgroups to make it,” Lombardo said.
Changes in the way special education students are evaluated could be in place by the 2009-2010 school year, said Shula Nedley, director of the state education department’s Bureau of Assessment and Accountability.
In the meantime, the state added 13 percentage points to PSSA performance rates involving special education scores this year to see if that would bring the results into the proficient range.
But even with that extra 13 points, about a dozen local schools either received a Warning or face some sort of School Improvement or Corrective Action measures because not enough of its special needs students performed at grade level this year, according to state results released last week.
That despite the fact that the overall student population in some of the schools achieved healthy or near perfect proficiency rates.
In fact, only two local high schools, Neshaminy and Bensalem, will get a thorough going over by the state because both schools are in Corrective Action II status for more than one year.
NESHAMINY’S CHALLENGE
In Neshaminy’s case, not enough economically disadvantaged students earned a proficient score on the PSSA reading test. In Bensalem, not enough special education students achieved proficiency on the PSSA math and reading tests.
The state is looking at each situation individually to see what’s being done to correct the situation internally before it takes action, said Gerald L. Zahorchak, Pennsylvania’s education department secretary.
“Oftentimes it’s an inadequacy of funding in those districts. In terms of resources and quality, we’re building on that capacity,” the secretary said in a Thursday conference call from Harrisburg.
Those resources will be in addition to the variety of methods area schools and districts already use to develop and monitor student progress, local administrators said.
The methods include periodic student testing with programs like 4Sight and Study Island. The testing materials are paid for through a variety of resources, including general funds and state and federal grants, administrators said.
School systems have realized a benefit in using these monitoring tools they said.
It helps identify students who need extra help and provides students the chance to become aware of test content and techniques, said Pennsbury spokeswoman Ann Langtry.
In Centennial, the intervention efforts have proved most beneficial to William Tennent High School’s special education population, said Jennifer Foight-Cressman, the district’s director of teaching and learning.
Over the last two years, Tennent special education students demonstrated a combined 28 percent leap in performance at proficient and advanced levels, she said.
Given the special education students success, Tennent was able, for the first time in six years to make AYP by reaching “Making Progress” status, Foight-Cressman said.
ABCs The of your schools
PSSA: Changes coming to student evaluations
Revisions in the way special education students are evaluated could be in place by the 2009-10 school year, a state education department official said.
By JOAN HELLYER
The clock is ticking down to 2014.
But some area school districts could be in trouble if revisions are not made to the way special education scores are handled.
By 2014 the federal government wants all students to be learning on their respective grade level or higher.
Such performance is necessary to help students develop the academic skills they’ll need in adulthood, according to the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The federal government looks for proof of student performance levels, in part, in the results of standardized tests. The state administers the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests each spring to provide that information.
In response to the federal mandate, most local school systems have used a variety of methods in recent years to develop student ability. Some tactics have worked. Others have not.
Oftentimes, that’s because all students learn on grade level, educators say. Special education students, in particular, learn on grade levels three or four years lower than do their peers, educa tors said.
“It’s illogical to expect [the special education] population to perform at grade level,” said Bensalem Superintendent James Lombardo.
But yet they are expected to demonstrate grade-level proficiency on the PSSA mathematics and reading tests. The proficiency rate is a combination of students who scored in either the proficient or advanced range on the tests.
The special education students’ scores count as a subgroup against a school’s overall performance grade if at least 40 spe cial needs kids in a respective building take the test.
Larger numbers of schools are likely to fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress status, as required by NCLB, if special education scores continue to be included in the results the way they are now, Lombardo said.
“That’s because the [proficiency] threshold keeps rising. That makes it very, very difficult for the subgroups to make it,” Lombardo said.
Changes in the way special education students are evaluated could be in place by the 2009-2010 school year, said Shula Nedley, director of the state education department’s Bureau of Assessment and Accountability.
In the meantime, the state added 13 percentage points to PSSA performance rates involving special education scores this year to see if that would bring the results into the proficient range.
But even with that extra 13 points, about a dozen local schools either received a Warning or face some sort of School Improvement or Corrective Action measures because not enough of its special needs students performed at grade level this year, according to state results released last week.
That despite the fact that the overall student population in some of the schools achieved healthy or near perfect proficiency rates.
In fact, only two local high schools, Neshaminy and Bensalem, will get a thorough going over by the state because both schools are in Corrective Action II status for more than one year.
NESHAMINY’S CHALLENGE
In Neshaminy’s case, not enough economically disadvantaged students earned a proficient score on the PSSA reading test. In Bensalem, not enough special education students achieved proficiency on the PSSA math and reading tests.
The state is looking at each situation individually to see what’s being done to correct the situation internally before it takes action, said Gerald L. Zahorchak, Pennsylvania’s education department secretary.
“Oftentimes it’s an inadequacy of funding in those districts. In terms of resources and quality, we’re building on that capacity,” the secretary said in a Thursday conference call from Harrisburg.
Those resources will be in addition to the variety of methods area schools and districts already use to develop and monitor student progress, local administrators said.
The methods include periodic student testing with programs like 4Sight and Study Island. The testing materials are paid for through a variety of resources, including general funds and state and federal grants, administrators said.
School systems have realized a benefit in using these monitoring tools they said.
It helps identify students who need extra help and provides students the chance to become aware of test content and techniques, said Pennsbury spokeswoman Ann Langtry.
In Centennial, the intervention efforts have proved most beneficial to William Tennent High School’s special education population, said Jennifer Foight-Cressman, the district’s director of teaching and learning.
Over the last two years, Tennent special education students demonstrated a combined 28 percent leap in performance at proficient and advanced levels, she said.
Given the special education students success, Tennent was able, for the first time in six years to make AYP by reaching “Making Progress” status, Foight-Cressman said.
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