 August 03, 2002
"These results are very encouraging and demonstrate that Alaska is on the right track with our state's school improvement plan, the Quality Schools Initiative," said Education & Early Development Commissioner Shirley Holloway. "While progress is apparent, some students still are not meeting our state's academic standards, which means we needs to stay the course." Parents statewide already should
have received their children's test results from their school
districts, Holloway said. The results indicate how well students
scored on the reading, writing and math tests. In addition, the
reports give parents more detailed information about According to the AK Department of Education, when students return to school this fall, teachers statewide also will be using the individual test scores to identify students who need additional assistance to meet standards. Parents of last year's third, sixth and eight grade students should contact their local school superintendent if they have not yet received their child's test scores. The Department of Education & Early Development released statewide scores on July 23rd. At least 9,500 students at each grade level took the exams in reading, writing and math. It was the third year in a row students in those grades took the exams. More than 90% of eligible students took the exams at each grade level, showing a steady increase in participation over previous years. According to the news release the 2002 results showed:
Most troublesome, the percentage
of Alaska Native students performing in the proficient or advanced
categories remained significantly lower than white students and
lower than the statewide average of all students in all subjects
and all Benchmark levels. The gap ranges Holloway said: "While the percentage of Native students performing at the proficient and advanced levels has grown, the learning gap is still there. To eliminate the learning gap will require a deep commitment from all of us - parents, teachers, school board members, policy makers, businesses, everybody." The Department of Education & Early Development will issue school district level Benchmark Exam results in early August. School level results are scheduled for release in mid-September. Results of the 2002 High School Graduation Qualifying Examination will be made public in October. Students took a new version of the high school exam in March 2002, and committees of Alaskans will set passing scores in early August.
Related Information: For more information:
|
||
