By Jennifer Amato
Staff Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – School officials in South Brunswick are pleased with the performance of students on the first-ever PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) tests.
“Our district PARCC results were as expected for a first time online test administration assessing the Common Core State Standards,” said Suzanne Luck-Born, director of Student Assessment and Instructional Support for the South Brunswick School District.
“We were pleased to perform above average of the PARCC states and New Jersey at the elementary and middle school levels. Our high school results require more reflection because of our low participation results and how serious high school students were taking the test given there are alternative pathways to graduation,” she said.
In April and May, students from grades 3-11 were tested per grade in language arts and math. Those at the middle school and high school levels were tested in their appropriate math subject.
The tests are graded from level one to five: one, not yet meeting requirements; two, partially meeting requirements; three, approaching expectations; four, meeting expectations; and five, exceeding expectations.
District-wide for grade 11 in language arts, 28.9 percent are level one; 22.3 percent are level two; 22.8 percent are level 3; 18.3 percent are level four; and 7.6 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 10 in language arts, 28.5 percent are level one; 20.1 percent are level two; 17.1 percent are level three; 25.3 percent are level four; and 8.9 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 9 in language arts, 11 percent are level one; 19.5 percent are level two; 23.6 percent are level three; 37.1 percent are level four; and 8.7 percent are level five.
District-wide Algebra I students scored 6.4 percent at level one; 17.6 percent at level two; 19.5 percent at level three; 50.5 percent at level four; and 6 percent at level five.
District-wide Algebra II students scored 20.1 percent at level one; 13.8 percent at level two; 16.2 percent at level three; 43.3 percent at level four; and 6.6 percent at level five.
District-wide for geometry, 8.6 percent scored at level one; 31.8 percent at level two; 22.7 percent at level three; 33.5 percent at level four; and 3.4 percent at level five.
District-wide for grade 8 in language arts, 3.8 percent are level one; 8.2 percent are level two; 13.4 percent are level three; 46 percent are level four; and 28.6 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 8 in math, 14.4 percent are level one; 23 percent are level two; 30 percent are level three; 30.9 percent are level four; and 1.6 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 7 in language arts, 3 percent are level one; 9.4 percent are level two; 17 percent are level three; 35.9 percent are level four; and 34.7 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 7 in math, 4.1 percent are at level one; 17.5 percent are at level two; 30.4 percent are at level three; 42.7 percent are at level four; and 5.3 percent are at level five.
District-wide for grade 6 in language arts, 2.4 percent are level one; 6.1 percent are level two; 17.8 percent are level three; 50.1 percent are level four; and 23.7 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 6 in math, 3 percent are at level one; 12.2 percent are at level two; 22.2 percent are at level three; 40.7 percent are at level four; and 21.9 percent are at level five.
District-wide for grade 5 in language arts, 1.1 percent are level one; 6 percent are level two; 18.9 percent are level three; 57.8 percent are level four; and 16.2 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 5 in math, 1.4 percent are at level one; 8.5 percent are at level two; 21.1 percent are at level three; 48.5 percent are at level four; and 20.6 percent are at level five.
District-wide for grade 4 in language arts, 1 percent are level one; 6.7 percent are level two; 19 percent are level three; 47.9 percent are level four; and 25.4 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 4 in math, 0.3 percent are at level one; 9.3 percent are at level two; 22.6 percent are at level three; 52.4 percent are at level four; and 15.4 percent are at level five.
District-wide for grade 3 in language arts, 6.2 percent are level one; 12.7 percent are level two; 20.3 percent are level three; 51.7 percent are level four; and 9.1 percent are level five.
District-wide for grade 3 in math, 3.3 percent are at level one; 10.8 percent are at level two; 18.2 percent are at level three; 45.3 percent are at level four; and 22.3 percent are at level five.
“Our district provided resources for teachers leading up to the dissemination of score reports being sent home to families. By doing so, the teachers got to see sample reports followed by actual student reports. This process made the results understandable. Teachers felt relief from this process. While we are satisfied as a district with most of our results, we recognize there is still much work to be done. We want to increase student performance,” Luck-Born said.
To prepare for the next round of testing this spring, the district will focus again on Common Core Standards.
“Students and teachers gained confidence with an online testing platform and instructional technology has become a part of our learning environments. Supervisors have been synthesizing sample problems and scoring rubrics released from PARCC. They are using the information to share strategies with teachers that will improve practice,” Luck-Born said.
For more information, visit http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/parcc/informing.pdf.
