Earning high marks

In Morristown, students were at or slightly below state averages in most categories, and school officials say efforts to raise the district’s test scores are working.

The standardized tests measure and compare students’ proficiency in math, reading and writing in four New England states. The tests were given last fall to students in grades three through eight and grade 11.

All students took math and reading tests; students in grades five, eight and 11 also took a writing test. The Vermont Agency of Education published the test results last week.

Students take the NECAP science test each spring.

This is the final year the NECAP will be given for reading, writing and math, as Vermont is transitioning to the Smarter Balanced Assessment system. Vermont will continue to administer the NECAP science assessment through 2016.

The results

Stowe outperformed the state average in all three subjects for each age group, in most instances by a fairly wide margin.

Ninety-three percent of Stowe High School juniors were proficient in reading, compared to 74 percent statewide; 59 percent were proficient in math, compared to 35 percent statewide; and 88 percent were proficient in writing, compared to 54 percent statewide. Middle and elementary school students also surpassed state averages.

Morristown students were close to state averages in most categories.

Seventy percent of elementary students were proficient in reading, matching the state average. Sixty-nine percent were proficient in math (62 percent statewide). Sixty percent of fifth-graders were proficient in writing (53 percent statewide).

Seventy-one percent of Morristown’s middle school students were proficient in reading (70 percent statewide), and 54 percent were proficient in math (62 percent statewide). Thirty-seven percent of fifth-graders were proficient in writing (54 percent statewide).

Sixty-eight percent of 11th graders were proficient in reading (74 percent statewide). Only 33 percent were proficient in math (35 percent statewide); 58 percent were proficient in writing (54 percent statewide).

Crunching numbers

In the coming weeks and months, teachers and administrators will be digging into the data to better understand the results, school Superintendent Tracy Wrend said.

Socioeconomics were again an indicator of performance on the tests. Lower-income students typically score lower on the tests, and the NECAP results again bear this out in both communities.

Morristown has a greater percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch than Stowe. When the population of Morristown students who do not qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program is compared to the population of Stowe students who don’t qualify, the results in most age groups and categories are closer than when the results for students in all socio-economic categories are combined.

The school district is taking a number of steps to narrow the performance gap and boost overall student performance, and it seems to be working, Wrend said.

“This speaks to excellent work on the part of faculty and staff, students and their families,” she said.

In addition to significant efforts during the school day, the school district continues to seek funding for supplemental learning opportunities after school and during the summer, Wrend said.

The school district has been preparing for the switch to the Smarter Balance Assessment system next spring. Several schools participated in pilot testing last spring.

Statewide picture

According to a Vermont Agency of Education press release, Vermont continues to see two distinct trends: girls outperform boys in reading and writing, and the achievement gap continues between children in high- and low-income families for all subjects. In particular, male students who qualify for free and reduced lunch lag behind their peers in reading and writing.

Test scores showed Vermont elementary school and 11th-grade students made gains in writing compared to the previous year, while scores dropped for eighth-graders.

The percentage of fifth-graders who scored in the proficient range in writing increased two percentage points, from 51 percent in 2012 to 53 percent in 2013.

At the eighth-grade level, writing proficiency scores dropped eight points, from 66 percent last year to 54 percent this fall.

The percentage of 11th-grade students statewide who scored in the proficient range increased seven points, from 47 percent to 54 percent.

Test scores for reading and math have not changed significantly from 2012.

The fall 2013 NECAP data is available online at bit.ly/1eE6QiO.