NEW: RIDE Announces NECAP Science Scores Up in RI Since 2008
GoLocalProv News Team
NEW: RIDE Announces NECAP Science Scores Up in RI Since 2008
Across the state, 32 percent of Rhode Island students attained the level of proficiency or better on the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) science assessments administered in May, an increase of 8 percentage points over the past six years. In the tested grades, 41 percent of 4th-grade students (up 5 points since 2008), 23 percent of 8th-grade students (up 4 points since 2008), and 30 percent of 11th-grade students (up 14 points since 2008) attained proficiency or better.
The statewide results released today show that Rhode Island students continue to narrow the gap between Rhode Island and the other tested NECAP states (New Hampshire and Vermont) in all three grade levels. For the first time, Rhode Island results have matched Vermont results and have surpassed New Hampshire by one point in grade 11.
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"I am pleased to see this improvement over time in the results of our science assessments. With continued excellent instruction, our students will make progress in future years as well,” said Governor Lincoln Chafee on the results.
“The science results we released today show that Rhode Island students have made progress over the past six years and have narrowed the gap between Rhode Island and other New England states in science achievement,” said Eva-Marie Mancuso, Chair of the Board of Education.
According to RIDE, many Rhode Island schools and districts made statistically significant improvements over the past six years, however only two Rhode Island schools made statistically significant gains over both the six-year and the one-year spans: North Kingstown High School and North Smithfield High School.
“The overall six-year gains in science results have been positive, but I do have concerns about the one-year decline in percent proficient in our middle schools,” said Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist. “We need to be aware that the science assessments have fewer questions and require a shorter testing time than our mathematics or reading assessments. Because there are relatively few questions on the NECAP science assessments, NECAP science scores may vary from year to year. We do not, however, use the science assessment as a promotion or graduation requirement for students, nor for school classifications, nor for educator evaluations.”
Among student groups in Rhode Island, economically disadvantaged students and Hispanic students have narrowed achievement gaps in grade 4 over the past six years. These groups also made statistically significant one-year improvements in grade 11.
Results on the science assessments for English learners and for students with disabilities, however, have either declined or improved only slightly over the past six years. Other student groups (Asian, Black, Native American) have generally improved over time but not at a rapid enough pace to close achievement gaps.
RI Experts on the Biggest Issues Facing Public Education
Sasse
"Provide a state constitutional guarantee that all children will have access to an education that will prepare them to meet high performance standards and be successful adults.
Bridge the gap between the educational achievement of majority and minority students. This will require the implementation of a comprehensive agenda for quality education in Rhode Island’s inner cities."
Sasse
"Revisit school governance and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the state, school districts , neighborhood schools, and school teachers and school administrators. Develop and implement a system to hold schools responsible for student outcomes."
Sasse
"Build a consensus and buy in of all stakeholders around the education reform initiatives being advanced by the Board of Education."
Metcalfe
"Set high expectations and raise our standards across the state for anyone that contributes to the success of our students. From adopting the Common Core to discussing rigorous teacher evaluations, conversations around creating a culture of high expectations have to be at the center of the work."
Metcalfe
"Expand opportunities and start earlier - we must ensure that all kids have access to a high performing public school of their choice, which includes full-day kindergarten."
Metcalfe
"School facilities - with an aging infrastructure, underutilized buildings and the need to provide fair funding for school facilities for all public school students regardless of the public school they attend, this needs to be a top issue tackled by the RI General Assembly in 2014."
Cano-Morales
"Meet the academic potential of all students but especially with regards to urban schools students -- 3 out of 4 are Latinos in Providence, Central Falls, and Pawtucket."
Cano-Morales
"Connect through specific best practices the academic successes of our students to careers jobs. Investing in schools is economic development as a whole for Rhode Island. "
Cano-Morales
"Increase the access to -- and completion of -- higher education and post- secondary opportunities. Poverty? Struggling families? Education and access to careers and competitive wages is the best antidote."
Duffy
"Providing adequate funding is critical -- and there are going to be pressures on the state budget, which mean stresses to meet the education funding formula. With the predictions of the state's projected loss of revenue with the casinos in MA, education funding could be on the cutting board, and we need to ensure that it's not. Do we need to look at strengthening the language of the constitution to guarantee funding?"
Duffy
"Implementing the common core standards will provide continuity -- and comparison -- between states now. With over 40 states involved, we're embarking a new set of standards here."
Duffy
"Accountability and assessing student performance -- how that it's driven by the common core, we'll be able to compare the best districts in RI against the best districts in say MA. That's the intent of the Common Core is a standardization of how we hold the system accountable."
Cylke
"Issue one is quality. Your quality of education should not be dependent on your zip code. And the reality is, certain cities are distressed, or whose property values are not as high, I know each town has a different capacity to fund education. There's an absolute, clear relationship between the quality of public schools, and economic development of states. There's irrefutable evidence that quality public schools can make states more competitive."
Cylke
"Issue two is equality. In West Warwick and Providence, the per pupil spending is around $16K. In Pawtucket it's $12.9. What's wrong with that picture? If I'm in charge of overseeing that my students are college ready, they need to be adequate funding. A difference of $3000 per pupil? We're talking in the tens of millions of dollars -- more like $25 million in this case. An exemplary school district is Montgomery County, MD -- they have roughly the same number of students, around 145,000 -- there's one funding figure per pupil. There's equitable funding for all kids."
Cylke
"Issue three is Infrastructure. A critical issue is whether the state is going to lift its moratorium in 2014 for renovations for older schools, ore new construction. If that moratorium is not lifted, and those funds are not available, it is critical to us here in Pawtucket. The average of my schools is 66 years, I've got 3 that celebrate 100 years this year. These old schools have good bones, but they need to be maintained. These are assets -- and this is all interrelated with the funding formula."
