News

New scoring for grades 3-8 State ELA and math exams “raise the bar” to emphasize higher standards

Parents may note a change when results are mailed home

August 6, 2010

Scores released on July 28 for the English and math exams that students in grades 3-8 took in May of 2010 showed a sharp decline statewide in performance levels from recent years – not because student performance decreased, but because the state has significantly changed the standards that proficiency is measured by.

Earlier this summer, the Board of Regents announced the new approach as part of its efforts to “raise the bar” for student achievement. The change increased the “cut points,” or scoring targets, that are used to determine where students fall into four categories of performance. By doing so it made it harder for students to achieve the level proficiency standard.

“The change in how the ELA and math performances levels are now measured does not allow us to compare the previous growth that we have seen over the past few years to the scores we recently received,” explains Assistant Superintendent Carol Napolitano. “As a district we are supportive of this aggressive endeavor to improve student performance. We will continue to work to make sure that our students meet and exceed the state standards.”

There has been a drop in the number of students scoring at the proficiency level due to the raised standards and not a decline in student or school performance. Individual students’ testing reports are expected to be mailed to households in early September.

Under the State Education Board of Regents testing system, scores on these exams are used to classify students into one of four performance levels. Students at Level 1 are not meeting learning standards; those at Level 2 are meeting the basic standard; students at Level 3 are meeting the proficiency standard and those at Level 4 are exceeding that standard.

Under current regulations, students who score at Level 2 or below are entitled to receive Academic Intervention Services (AIS). Yet, because the Board of Regents anticipated such a shift statewide and was concerned about the costs it would carry, it has amended AIS requirements for the coming year to give districts some flexibility. However, Liberty Central School District is committed to providing AIS services to all students requiring them.

In a proactive measure, Sullivan County Superintendents (including Liberty Superintendent Michael B. Vanyo) worked in conjunction with BOCES Superintendent Larry Thomas to write and publish a joint letter to the editor that appeared in local papers including the Times Herald Record and the Sullivan County Democrat. View Letter to the Editor.

“We are certainly not in this alone,” states Vanyo. “All school districts in New York State will notice a shift in scores on their state assessments due to this change. As a district, we will carefully review the data released by the State Education Department and analyze the changes and determine how the changes will impact our district and our students. We will continue to provide Academic Intervention Services (AIS) for students needing additional help to meet the new standards.”

More information:

• Chart of the new scores needed for proficiency (PDF document)

• NYSED’s report “A New Standard for Proficiency: College Readiness” (PDF document)

• NYS Education Department (NYSED) Web site

• For coverage of this story in the Times Herald Record, click here.

• To read the letter to the editor signed by all Sullivan County Superintendents, click here.

• For coverage of this story in the New York Times, click here.