PUBLISHER’S NOTEBOOK: New student assessment testing shows there’s work to be done

The results from 2017 student assessment testing grades 3 through 10 were released on Friday. Results show that the state of Alaska and the Mat-Su Valley Borough School District has their work cut out for them. A few items to be noted before we delve into the results. The state of Alaska contracted with Date Recognition Corp., based out of Minnesota, this past year to deliver their statewide standardized testing. Testing in the spring of 2017 cannot be compared to previous standardized testing, according to the State of Alaska Department of Education and Early Education Development (DEED) but has formed a baseline to work from for future testing. Alaska educators were involved in setting the criteria for testing and assessing what students at each grade level should know.

According to a press release from DEEDS, Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools (PEAKS) is not a pass/fail assessment. Students score on a scale that is divided into four levels of achievement: advanced, proficient, below proficient, and far below proficient. Also from the press release, statewide, results varied from grade to grade. In English language arts, approximately 32 percent to 45 percent of students were proficient on the assessment. In mathematics, approximately 15 percent to 45 percent of students were proficient on the assessment.

“We must be dissatisfied with these results, and yet, we have even more opportunity now than ever before to support student learning,” said Alaska Education Commissioner Dr. Michael Johnson. “Many schools are already implementing positive changes that will provide students more opportunity to increase their learning.”

School districts have until Sept. 29 to distribute student-level reports to parents and teachers.

Mat-Su Borough School District results

Mat-Su Borough School District overall scores breakdowns with 47.56% of the students tested at Advanced/Proficient and Below/Far Below Proficient scores stands at 52.44% for English. Math scores were 35.27% Advanced/Proficient while 64.73% were Below/Far Below Proficient. 83.30% of the district’s students (3^rd through 10^th grade) participated.

Area high schools breakdown

Approximately 50 percent of students in each the ninth grade and tenth grade classes participated in the exams. Here is the breakdown for each school by class grade.

Colony High School

Ninth graders scored advanced/proficient at 44.93% for English and 27.75% for Math while 55.07% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 72.25% in Math.

Tenth graders scored advanced/proficient at 39.84% for English and 16.42% for Math while 60.16% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 83.58% in Math.

Houston High School

Ninth graders scored advanced/proficient at 19.59% for English and 11.46% for Math while 80.41% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 88.54% in Math.

Tenth graders scored advanced/proficient at 13.51% for English and less than 5% for Math while 86.49% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 95% in Math.

Palmer High School

Ninth graders scored advanced/proficient at 44.92% for English and 31.55% for Math while 55.08% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 68.45% in Math.

Tenth graders scored advanced/proficient at 33.33% for English and 9.29% for Math while 66.67% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 90.71% in Math.

Wasilla High School

Ninth graders scored advanced/proficient at 26.67% for English and 18.79% for Math while 73.33% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 81.21% in Math.

Tenth graders scored advanced/proficient at 27.07% for English and 14.18% for Math while 72.93% scored Below/Far Below Proficient in English and 85.82% in Math.

Time to panic?

The numbers are alarming for sure but we need to keep in mind this is the first year using this particular standardized test. If anything this should motivate educators to recognize where students are lacking and begin corrective actions. As with any organization you are what you emphasize. Excellent students have graduated from the school district and many more will. As a community we have to work together to help those students who are falling through the cracks.