Posted: 11/21/06
Caledonia school test scores exceed state averages
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Caledonia school students met or exceeded state averages in nearly every area of tests scores that were released last week by the Minnesota Department of Education.
The tests, called Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, or MCA-II, were given in April of 2006. They align with state standards adopted in 2003 for reading and mathematics.
Minnesota Department of Education released the results on November 15. The tests are part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Overall in the district, math proficiency rose from 62.3 last year to 72.21 percent this year.
ìThatís pretty significant,î ISD #299 Superintendent Michael Moriarty Moriarty said. The stateís target rate was 51.38 percent.
Reading proficiency scores went from 80.38 percent last year to 83.33 percent this year. Moriarty felt the district might not be able to go much higher than that. The target rate was 64.40 percent.
Moriarty was pleased with the results. ìOverall for our district I think we did pretty well,î he said.
But he quickly added, ìI know you can never rest with what youíve done on these test results because every year the target scores increase.î
Caledoniaís lowest scores came in 11th grade math, which had a proficiency per cent of 32.65. That was still above the state average was 29.8 percent. The low number was due in part to students leaving nearly 31 percent of the questions blank where they needed to explain their answer, according to a Department of Education press release. The Department of Education is currently exploring options to encourage students to finish that portion of the test, including suggesting the inclusion of the MCA-II scores on the high school transcript.
Caledonia students were below state averages in four tests: fifth grade reading, sixth grade math, sixth grade reading, and eighth grade reading.
Annual yearly progress
Caledoniaís schools were among 1,405 schools statewide that made Annual yearly Progress (AYP); 483 did not.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind requirements, AYP represents a certain level of student achievement on statewide tests. Every year, the achievement level for making AYP is raised.
Moriarty noted that there is a point down the road where everybody has to be 100 percent on everything. The goal of NCLB is to have every student proficient in math, reading, and science by 2014.
Making AYP can be half luck, Moriarty said, because districts have to have enough special education students that will pass the tests. Last year Caledonia was one of 35 districts that missed making AYP for their special education cell. The index rate target for special education students was 62.61 in math. Caledonia scored 53.66 in math. The index rate in reading was 67.31; Caledoniaís rate was 57.29.Also, the cell size limit for special education was 40, and Caledonia had 41
Schools meet AYP requirements in one of two ways: meeting targets for the number of their students performing above state standards on state-developed tests, or reducing by 10 percent the number of students who score in lower performance levels. AYP is calculated separately for all students in a school, each ethnic group, students in special education, English language learners and students receiving free and reduced-price meals. Results for the group of all students and each subgroup must meet AYP requirements in order for a school or district to make AYP.
School report cards
The Department of Education also released School Report Cards last week, which have star rankings comparing school performance on statewide tests and in areas including school climate and academic opportunities.
Caledonia High School received five stars in reading and three in math. The middle school received four stars in reading and three in math. The elementary school received four stars in reading and four in math.
For academic achievement in reading and math, schools receive three stars for making AYP and may receive additional stars, up to five, for performance above NCLB requirements. Schools receive only two stars for the first year of not making AYP in a given subject area. Schools that do not make AYP for two or more years receive only one star.
189 schools received the highest rating of five stars in reading; 109 received the rating of five stars in math; and 78 received the rating of five stars in both reading and math.
See Moriartyís School Talk column in this weekís paper for more on the test results and AYP.
More accurate assessment
ìThe new MCA-II tests provide a more accurate assessment of how our students are performing,î Department of Eduction Director Alice Seagren said in a press release. ìThese results will help us take additional steps to improve student achievement in Minnesota.î
ìWe have raised the bar with more rigorous standards for Minnesota students so that we are better prepared to compete in the global marketplace,î Governor Tim Pawlenty said in the same press release. ìThe results of these new tests give us a clearer picture of how students are performing and serve as a basis to measure future improvement.î
In an effort to increase student achievement in 2003, Governor Pawlenty and the legislature eliminated the Profile of Learning and replaced it with the more rigorous Minnesota Academic Standards. The MCA-II assessment is a new test aligned to those academic standards.
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