This Message Center is organized and operated by David Vitale “We are optimistic our students will do well but there will be some challenges as No Child Left Behind standards ramp up,” Vitale said. “Don't be surprised if certain student groups, such as special education, don't hit certain standards.”

The preceding quote appeared in an October 24, 2007 article in the Watertown Daily Times.  As results this year will show, the quote proved to be generally accurate, but it should hardly be considered bold or daring.  Anyone with knowledge of the No Child Left Behind Annual Measurable Objectives knows that schools everywhere will eventually fail to meet the performance standards set forth in the law.  Many students performed well on the tests while some others did not.

Every school faces a measurement problem when a single test is used to draw conclusions about how schools are doing.  Like other districts, we have a measurement problem in Watertown when it comes to WKCE scores, but we don't have a performance problem.  Each day, students in classrooms of all kinds perform various tasks, including standardized tests and assessments, that demonstrate an appropriate level of mastery on instructional goals.  Some students struggle, some do not.  As will always be the case, there are many factors that determine student, parent, teacher, and school success. 

The attached file shows that most student grade-level groups performed at or above the Annual Measurable Objectives in reading and math.  These targets are 74% proficient or advanced in reading and 58% proficient and advanced in math. Other results in science and social studies were positive as well.   Schurz School possibly makes a case for the impact of smaller class sizes on student achievement.  Schurz must maintain a student to staff ratio of 15:1 in grades K-3 as part of the state of Wisconsin SAGE requirement. 

As indicated, there were some instances where test results did not meet the standard.  Lincoln School did not reach the standard in either reading or math.  With such a low student population, it's possible that as few as 2 or 3 students scoring higher on the math and reading tests would've made a difference in the school's status.  When the AYP reports come out in June, we will learn whether special education and economically disadvantaged students at various grade levels reached perfomance targets this year.

What does it mean?

Under current rules, there are no sanctions faced by schools or districts that do not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in a single year.  Failure to make progress in successive years may mean greater in-district school choice offered to parents or the transfer of Title I dollars to help pay for student tutors.  Only schools that receive Title I dollars are subject to possible sanctions.  We currently face no sanctions and dedicate Title I support to our elementary schools in the area of early primary reading. 

It should be noted that amendments to the legislation are an ongoing discussion. There is reason to believe that changes to demonstrating accountability may move toward measuring growth in students over time.  Currently, accountability is determined based on the ranking of scores on a single test in a single year and comparing them to an external standard (AYP) as well as to scores from a different year with different students.  As long as questions remain as to the reliability of results and the validity of actions taken based on those results, WKCE scores should be viewed with  some degree of ambivalence.  Nevertheless, WUSD teachers and administrators do use the test results to help make decisions about teaching that are instructionally useful.  This means that if information can be gathered from the test results that tells us if we're missing something in the curriculum, then it will be addressed. 

NOTE: Formula factors elevated Lincoln's status so that the school will not appear on the state list of schools not meeting AYP even though the Annual Measurable Objectives of 74% in Reading and 58% in Math were not met. 

Edited: 6/10/08

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posted May 30, 2008 | comments « back to Message Center home

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