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Test scores up, but schools look to improve

WHEELING — Standardized math test scores are up in all six Northern Panhandle school districts for the 2016-2017 school year, while reading scores jumped in three.

But school officials admit there still is much room for improvement. They are looking at how to further boost student performance, and to raise the bar to whatever is appropriate for each student.

Reading scores improved from the previous year in Marshall, Hancock and Tyler counties, while they declined in Ohio, Brooke and Wetzel counties. In Brooke and Wetzel, reading scores dropped by more than 5 percentage points as compared to 2015-16.

Marshall County Schools posted gains in both math and reading, according to the results of the most recent — and final — round of the West Virginia General Summative Assessment. These show the number of students scoring a “proficient” rating in math jumping from 34.77 percent for the 2015-16 school year to 43.11 percent this year. Reading scores, meanwhile, improved slightly from 41.19 percent to 41.21 percent.

“We’re not going to stop there,” said Katie Dantrassy, assistant principal at John Marshall High School. “We have to start the year looking at the individual results and student achievement as teachers get to know their students. We will have to be reflective, improve on what has already been improved and focus on improving individual student performance.”

She said the broader goal of the district will be to focus on improving the critical thinking skills of students by giving them more reading, writing and research assignments. Skills learned in these efforts will help to improve math and science scores, according to Dantrassy.

Hancock County Schools math proficiency scores jumped more than 8 percentage points this year — from 34.77 to 43.11 percent. Reading skills there also improved, from 50.86 percent to 52.7 percent. Officials there did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.

Hancock County’s scores in math were the fifth-highest among West Virginia’s 55 counties, placing them one place above Ohio County Schools, which previously held the top spot.

Despite having less improvement than other counties, Ohio County math scores did increase slightly — from 40 percent last year to 42.74 percent. The school district continues to be tops in the state in reading, although scores dropped from 58.37 percent in 2015-16 to 57.32 percent in 2016-17.

“We saw growth in math, but ‘satisfied’ is not the word I would use,” said Walt Saunders, assessment and federal programs director for Ohio County Schools. “The scores could be better.”

Saunders said the school district plans to administer three benchmark assessment tests to students prior to the next testing in the spring, and these will tell their individual strengths and weaknesses that need addressed. The first of these tests will happen early in the school year; the second, before the holiday break in December; and the third, prior to spring 2018.

Saunders said he is meeting with teachers to determine which testing product should be administered, as school districts have been given the opportunity to choose the test they determine is best.

Administrators also have been reviewing the testing data, which can reveal a significant jump in the test scores at one school. When this happens, the practices at the school should be replicated elsewhere, according to Saunders.

“There were some outstanding math scores at Ritchie Elementary School,” he said. “We need to determine how they are achieving that, and share this with the other schools.”

Officials also need to look at schools’ climate and culture and their effects on student attitude and performance, he said.

“If a student is not comfortable, it’s hard to teach them math and reading,” Saunders said. “Performance has a lot to do with what’s going on in the building. It’s all tied together.”

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