School Test Data From Last Year Shows Healthy Growth
Superintendent Dr. Michael McInnis (left) presented test scores to Water Valley School trustees Monday night showing positive gains made by the students. The scores were released last week by the Mississippi Department of Education. – Photo by David Howell
School Test Data From Last Year Shows Healthy Growth
By David Howell
Editor
WATER VALLEY – The school board got their first look at state test results from the 2015-2016 school year during Monday night’s meeting after Superintendent Dr. Michael McInnis presented figures showing students in the Water Valley School District performed well on the Mississippi Assessment Program (MAP). The MAP results – which assess student performance in mathematics and English language arts in grades 3-8, Algebra I and English II – were released last week by the Mississippi Department of Education.
Looking at grades 4-8, the state data showed students in the Water Valley School District improved overall, comparing results from the 2014-15 school year when they took the PARCC exams to the more rigorous MAP testing during the 2015-16 school year.
McInnis explained the data was generated by tracking students during the two-year period, starting with performance for third graders during the 2014-15 school year and examining how the same group scored as fourth graders during the 2015-16 school year, a cycle that was repeated for each grade up to the eighth grade in both math and English language arts testing.
The students’ performance is measured by placing their scores in four categories – minimal, basic, passing and advanced/proficient – based on cut rates set by the Mississippi Department of Education. The data presented by McInnis showed most grades had significant growth, as the percentage of students scoring in the higher categories increased during the two-year period.
Among highlights were last year’s fourth graders, where almost a fourth of the students scored minimal as third graders in the 2014-15 school year on math and English language arts tests, a number that was reduced by 18 percent on both tests during the 2015-16 school year.
“This is what happens when everybody comes in together,” McInnis said about the results. “It starts with the bus drivers, they set the tone for the entire day… Our cafeteria workers, we have a large number of kids that participate in our breakfast and lunch program, you cannot learn on an empty stomach,” McInnis continued about the teamwork.
“Our clerical staff, janitorial staff, teachers, teachers’ assistants, students, parents, school board, everyone has played a part in getting these significant gains. We are very proud,” McInnis added, a sentiment that was echoed by school board members after his presentation.
McInnis also provided figures that showed how Water Valley students ranked compared to other schools in the state in Subject Area Testing Program (SATP) in English II and Algebra I, as well as how seventh and eighth graders ranked on the MAP math testing. The results were:
• English II, WVHS ranked 50th out of 280 schools, placing the school in the top 21 percent of Mississippi schools on this test.
• Seventh grade math, WVHS ranked 59th out of 279 schools, again placing the school in the top 21 percent of Mississippi schools on this test.
• Eighth grade math, WVHS ranked 68th out of 279 schools in the state participating in the testing. This placed the school in the top 24 percent of Mississippi schools on this test.
• Algebra I, WVHS ranked 59th out of 145 schools in the state, placing the school in the top 24 percent of Mississippi schools on this test.
School and district ratings based on these scores and other factors are expected to be released in October according to the MDE website. Last week the State Board of Education also adopted cut points for the rating system that will place 10 percent of schools and districts in the “A” category and 14 percent in “F.” This means the bulk of schools and districts will be rated B, C or D.
