While other local blogs enjoy full time ragging on several local politicians and especially Prince William County Schools, it seems that the SOL test results tell another story.
From PWCS.edu:
New results from the Virginia Department of Education show the collective PWCS student body is meeting or exceeding state pass rates on almost all tests.
August 20, 2013
The Standards of Learning (SOL) and associated tests in mathematics, science and reading are more demanding than ever, but new results from the Virginia Department of Education show the collective PWCS student body is meeting or exceeding state pass rates on almost all tests.
Results reflect all students’ performance on SOL assessments administered during the 2012–13 school year. Analysis by student sub-groups will come later and be used in determining whether the Division and specific schools meet the Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) identified by the state in their federal accountability system.
For now, the all-student SOL results show:
Reading
•PWCS had a higher pass rate and pass advanced rate than the state on all elementary school level reading tests (grades 3, 4, and 5).
•The PWCS pass rate exceeded the state pass rate on all middle school level reading tests (grades 6, 7, 8).
•The PWCS pass advanced rate either met or exceeded the state pass advanced rate on the grade 6 and 7 reading tests.
•The PWCS pass advanced rate exceeded the state pass advanced rate on the end-of-course reading test.Writing
• The PWCS pass rate either met or exceeded the state’s pass rate on all grade level (grades 5 and 8) and end-of-course writing tests.Science
•The PWCS pass rate and pass advanced rate exceeded the respective VA rates on all grade level science tests (grades 3, 5, and 8).
•The PWCS pass rate either met or exceeded the state pass rate on the Biology and Chemistry end-of-course tests. The PWCS pass rate on the Earth Science end-of-course test was only slightly below (1%) the state’s pass rate.Social Studies
•The PWCS pass rates exceeded the VA pass rates on all grade level and end-of-course social studies tests, except US History I, for which the PWCS pass rate was 1% below the state level.
•The PWCS pass advanced rate exceeded the state pass advanced rate on the grade 3 history test, the VA Studies test, the US History II test, the World History I test, and the World Geography test.Math
•PWCS had higher pass rates than the state on all elementary level math tests (grades 3, 4, 5); the PWCS pass advanced rate was substantially above the VA rate in grades 4 and 5.
•PWCS had higher pass rates and pass advanced rates than the state on the grade 6 and 8 math tests.
•The PWCS pass rate on the Algebra I end-of course test matched the VA pass rate.
•PWCS met or exceeded the state’s pass advanced rate on all end-of-course math tests, which include Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II.New AMO pass rate targets have been implemented in recent years in conjunction with the deployment of more rigorous math, science and reading SOLs. “Virginia students are more challenged by this work and, in the long run, they are learning more,” said PWCS Superintendent Steven Walts. “There are still challenges to be met, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
We are now in the second year of using the new tests based on the updated mathematics SOLs, allowing a year to year comparison. Among PWCS schools:
•All 11 high schools showed an increase in pass rate on at least one math assessment.•Including traditional schools, 17 middle schools showed an increase in pass rate on at least one math assessment.
•Including traditional schools, 58 elementary schools showed an increase in pass rate on at least one math assessment.
“We’ll be taking a hard look at the results to help maintain the momentum where performance is improving and to make an extra effort where students need more help,” added Walts.
Virginia school report cards issued in September will take a closer look at how schools rate in affecting the performance of specific sub-groups.
Standing ovation for the staff and students of Prince William County Schools. Five thumbs down to bloggers that make disparaging remarks about the schools regardless of reason. Statements like the following simply don’t clearly represent the job done by PWC teachers, staff and students:
New businesses thinking about relocating or expanding in PWC look carefully at the outcomes of the current education system – not how nice the buildings are.The underperforming student scores on college aptitude tests, the worst overcrowding of classrooms in the commonwealth, and poorly paid teachers are a prescription for disaster in education.
related reading:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/latest-news/tougher-standards-reflected-in-sol-test-results/article_6e004d3a-09a8-11e3-84e4-001a4bcf6878.html
Each year I attend staff meetings regarding test data, and each year I am further confused. From a federal test result stand point school X failed to achieve AMO (which is different somehow) from AYP. Yet, from a state stand point, school X met state requirements and is accredited. Sooooo, a school can be both “in improvement” federally, but accredited by the state. In other words, school X can fail to pass in one or more sub groups according to the federal govt, but pass the test according to the State of VA. Why? This is why: The federal govt examines sub group test scores, using raw data only, for only one specific school year to determine if sub groups meet benchmarks. The state looks at a 3 year average of raw test scores, with credits added, to determine if after 3 years, a particular sub group meets the benchmark.
So in a nut shell: The federal govt looked at 2012-2013 raw data to determine pass rates. The state of VA looked at the average of test scores spanning from the 2010-2013 school years, plus credit to determine if sub groups achieved pass rates. So did school X pass or fail? It all depends on how you look at the data.
As long as the teachers are kept in the dark the powers that be can do what they want. Interesting since something like 40% of a teacher’s evaluation is based on test results.
Thank you, General Assembly. You have made our teachers really feel important.
Welcome back DB.
But here’s the last laugh on the SOL powers that be..and the fools that make the rules. Final teacher evals must be done by early May, BEFORE SOLS are taken and scored. So that 40% does NOT INCLUDE SOL SCORES, but in-house assessments etc. SOLS have no bearing on teacher evals as they come too late in the eval process.
That should invalidate the entire evaluation process.