The 2008 Carthage R-9 MAP test results produced a mixed bag of results showing improvement in some areas, but regression in others.
All Missouri public school students in grades 3-8 and 10-11 were required to take the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test in communication arts, math and science. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has not released the science scores.
This year, secondary students will not take the MAP test. That examination has been replaced by end-of-course tests in Algebra I, English II and Biology.
Compared with the statewide averages, Carthage students met only three of the 14 state average criterion. However, the numbers show general improvement over the previous years compared with Carthage numbers.
“There is room for improvement,” said new Carthage R-9 Assist. Superintendent of Instruction Deborah Swarens. “Compared with the state averages, it looks like we didn’t fare very well. But when we look at the subgroups and other criteria, we made improvements in many areas.
To see actual improvement of the students, one needs to compare the numbers with last year’s previous years. For example, to see either improvement or regression, one needs to compare 2008 fourth grade with 2007 third grade. Those would basically be the same students.
“That is exactly what we do,” said Swarens. “We look for trend data. “We look at several years of data to see how those specific students have improved or regressed. When it comes to third graders when we don’t have any data yet, we look at the common assessments that we give them throughout their studies.”
Swarens also looks at the seven subgroups to develop trend data:
• Female
• Male
• Hispanic
• White (not Hispanic)
• IEP (Individual Educational Plan) students
• LEP (Limited English Proficient)/ELL (English Language Learners) students
• Free and Reduce Lunch students
“For example, our IEP students did very well,” said Swarens. “I credit that to our Co-Teaching plan which exposes our IEP students to content that they might not regularly be exposed to. We saw a lot of improvement in this area at the junior high school.”
Carthage also saw improvement at in communication arts at the junior high and Columbian Elementary and in math at the senior high and junior high.
But one area in which Carthage – and all Missouri Schools – are handcuffed and have no control over is the definition of the subgroups in regard to AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) with No Child Left Behind. AYP is a diagnostic tool that determines how schools need to improve and where financial resources should be allocated.
Swarens said that No Child Left Behind lowered the subgroup number from 50 to 30 that would include virtually all public school buildings. In the past, if a building didn’t have 50 students in a certain cell group, it didn’t have to report that cell group.
“Now, virtually every building has at least 30 students in a cell group, which makes us accountable for AYP.
Also, No Child Left Behind also increased the proficiency rates in communication arts from 42.9 percent to 51 percent and math from 35.8 percent to 45 percent.
“That makes the playing field even tougher,” said Swarens.
There four categories in which students can fall into based on their test scores: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced. It is the goal of every school district to have as many students in the Proficient and Advanced categories. And while that is the common goal, another goal, which often is more realistic is to move as many students out of Below Basic into Basic.
Swarens also reports improvement in two other categories – Graduation rate and attendance rate. In 2007, the Carthage graduation rate was 72.7 and in 2008, that rate improved to 73.3. In 2007, the attendance rate was 95.3 and in 2008, that rate improved to 96.7.
“So we do have several things to be proud of and to build upon,” said Swarens.
Swarens said there area couple things that the district will implement which will help to improve test scores. The district has a computer language learning program for ELL students called ELLIS. That program helps students better learn the English language. However, each student needs at least 1,000 hours on the program to learn basic English.
“We need to make computer time more accessible to our students,” said Swarens. “We either need to have more site licenses, or more computers or just make more time available. We are going to do all that we can do get this accomplished.”
Swarens also said that as part of teacher professional development, the district will use the SIOP program (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). SIOP is an intensive three days of training throughout the year to provide teacher with specific strategies to make better accommodations in the classrooms.
“We will start with a core group of up to 30 teachers to train and coach them in SIOP,” said Swearens. “Then the next year we can take it up a notch. And this will be good for all learners – gifted, poverty, average, ELL, etc.)”
Swarens also said that the district will review the math, science and communication arts curriculum to determine if everything is being that that should be taught.
Swarens presented the school board with the test results at a retreat.
Click here to view the 2008 Carthage R-9 results of the Comm Arts MAP
Click here to view the 2008 Carthage R-9 results of the Math MAP
