Share: 

State school test scores trending upward

Gains widespread; ‘Hard work finally paying off’
July 26, 2016

Overall test results for the second year of Smarter Balanced show slight improvement in test scores, although only about half of Delaware students are proficient in English and fewer in math.

Department of Education officials released state test results July 21, celebrating 3 percent to 4 percent gains overall and highlighting districts that posted significant gains.

"We still have a lot of work to do, but we are on the right trajectory," said Michael Watson of the Department of Education.

The goal, Watson said, is for 100 percent of Delaware students to be career and college ready and proficient on the state tests. "Don't you want that for your children?" he asked. At a rate of 4 percent increase a year, it would take about 13 years to conceivably reach 100 percent.

And despite an impending gubernatorial change and potential shift in education policy, Watson downplayed whether Smarter Balanced would soon be replaced. He said too many people have complained about the number of tests – Delaware has had three different state tests in six years.

In overall district results for English that combine grades 3 to 8, Cape Henlopen School District was third statewide among traditional school districts with 67 percent proficiency – a 2 point increase from last year. Caesar Rodney was first with 69 percent followed by Appoquinimink with 68 percent. Sussex Academy, a charter school, had 96 percent proficiency.

In math, proficiency percentages were lower than English, but Cape Henlopen outperformed all traditional districts with 58 percent proficiency – 2 points more than last year. Appoquinimink and Caesar Rodney were a percentage point behind with 57 percent. Sussex Academy posted 81 percent proficiency, ranking second among charter schools to Newark Charter's 88 percent.

Western Sussex County districts showed pronounced gains in both subjects. Laurel, Seaford and Woodbridge led the state in proficiency gains, ranging from 8 to 13 percentage points.

Breaking out the results by grade level, students in grades 3 to 8 posted overall gains of 2 to 5 percentage points, with only third-grade test takers in English showing no improvement from last year. Also, subgroups of students – students with disabilities, low income and specific racial groups – mostly posted gains.

"The gains are in almost every grade," Watson said. "The hard work is finally paying off."

In science and social studies, select grades continue to take the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System to determine proficiency.

For students in grades 5, 8 and 10 who took the science test, results were mostly flat. Proficient fifth-graders remained at 47 percent, and eighth-graders were 49 percent. In grade 10, proficiency dropped a point to 43 percent from last year.

In social studies, students in grades 4 and 7 recorded one-point declines from 2015 results. Fifty-nine percent of fourth-graders were proficient and 57 percent of seventh-graders.

Watson said the social studies test will not be given to students in 2017 in order for them to adequately prepare for a new test, anticipated for 2018. A new science test will be piloted in 2018 and implemented in 2019, said Alison May, education spokeswoman.

Another highlight from 2016 testing, Watson said, was an increase of students who took the test. The federal government requires participation for 95 percent or more, and Delaware's rates increased to more than 97 percent in both English and math. May would not comment specifically whether parents who kept their children out of state testing in the spring had any effect on Delaware's participation rates, saying only, "We had high participation numbers last year and even higher participation this year."

Individual student results will be mailed to homes soon, and individual school results will be released in August, Watson said.

The Cape Henlopen school board will discuss the results at its meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 28, at Beacon Middle School.

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter