Post by title1parent on Sept 15, 2009 5:31:02 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=321426&src=76
District 204 produces 'strong, stable' test scores
By Justin Kmitch | Daily Herald 9/15/09
From top to bottom, elementary through high school, Indian Prairie students continued to excel on standardized tests and administrators couldn't be happier.
Indian Prairie Unit District 204 Monday unveiled multiple standardized tests results for 29,000 students that they believe show a "remarkable level of achievement" throughout the district.
As a district, 92.8 percent of students met or exceeded state standards on the Illinois Standards and Achievement Test. The district's latest ACT results also show composite scores that increased to 23.8, up from last year's 23.4. The state average is 20.8.
"We are very, very excited about these results," said Superintendent Kathryn Birkett. "These are just phenomenal statistics to further prove we are a very high performing district."
At the elementary and middle school level, math continues to be the district's strong suit on the ISAT with all students scoring between 92.4 and 95.2 percent. Science also proved to be strong subject with 91.5 percent of fourth graders and 92.4 percent of seventh graders meeting or exceeding state standards.
"This is the first splash we've gotten of the ISAT results," said board member Mark Metzger. "And they're really exciting."
At the high school level, ACT scores were equally impressive, especially because they've increased by a full point since 2005. Districtwide, every score increased over last year's as well.
The district's science scores showed the most dramatic increase, up to 22.8 from last year's 22.3. Reading and English scores both increased by four-tenths of a point and math scores increased by three-tenths of a point.
"Again, we're looking at incredible achievement in this district and ongoing continuous ACT growth."
Despite its successes, the district did not make Adequate Yearly Progress in three areas: special education reading and math, and economically disadvantaged reading.
Five of the district's 33 schools, two high schools and three middle schools, also did not reach the federal No Child Left Behind target of 70 percent of all subgroups meeting or exceeding state standards. All 21 elementary schools, however, made Adequate Yearly Progress.
Director of School Improvement and Planning Michael Popp said more vigorous school improvement plans are being drafted and implemented to help individual students achieve in their weak areas.
Birkett said the district is also poised to benefit greatly by a new relationship forged with ACT in which ACT will provide instructional improvement programs targeted toward college readiness standards by streamlining the standardized tests students take to prepare for the ACT in middle school and early high school.
"We're the first district in country to do what we are doing and partnering with ACT in this manner," Birkett said. "This will put us at the forefront of preparing students for college for a long time,"
District 204 produces 'strong, stable' test scores
By Justin Kmitch | Daily Herald 9/15/09
From top to bottom, elementary through high school, Indian Prairie students continued to excel on standardized tests and administrators couldn't be happier.
Indian Prairie Unit District 204 Monday unveiled multiple standardized tests results for 29,000 students that they believe show a "remarkable level of achievement" throughout the district.
As a district, 92.8 percent of students met or exceeded state standards on the Illinois Standards and Achievement Test. The district's latest ACT results also show composite scores that increased to 23.8, up from last year's 23.4. The state average is 20.8.
"We are very, very excited about these results," said Superintendent Kathryn Birkett. "These are just phenomenal statistics to further prove we are a very high performing district."
At the elementary and middle school level, math continues to be the district's strong suit on the ISAT with all students scoring between 92.4 and 95.2 percent. Science also proved to be strong subject with 91.5 percent of fourth graders and 92.4 percent of seventh graders meeting or exceeding state standards.
"This is the first splash we've gotten of the ISAT results," said board member Mark Metzger. "And they're really exciting."
At the high school level, ACT scores were equally impressive, especially because they've increased by a full point since 2005. Districtwide, every score increased over last year's as well.
The district's science scores showed the most dramatic increase, up to 22.8 from last year's 22.3. Reading and English scores both increased by four-tenths of a point and math scores increased by three-tenths of a point.
"Again, we're looking at incredible achievement in this district and ongoing continuous ACT growth."
Despite its successes, the district did not make Adequate Yearly Progress in three areas: special education reading and math, and economically disadvantaged reading.
Five of the district's 33 schools, two high schools and three middle schools, also did not reach the federal No Child Left Behind target of 70 percent of all subgroups meeting or exceeding state standards. All 21 elementary schools, however, made Adequate Yearly Progress.
Director of School Improvement and Planning Michael Popp said more vigorous school improvement plans are being drafted and implemented to help individual students achieve in their weak areas.
Birkett said the district is also poised to benefit greatly by a new relationship forged with ACT in which ACT will provide instructional improvement programs targeted toward college readiness standards by streamlining the standardized tests students take to prepare for the ACT in middle school and early high school.
"We're the first district in country to do what we are doing and partnering with ACT in this manner," Birkett said. "This will put us at the forefront of preparing students for college for a long time,"