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Schools

NHP-GCP Board Proud of New York State Test Scores

Superintendant Robert Katulak presents district and individual school test scores in ELA, mathematics and science.

The board of education meeting Monday night included two presentations; the first by on the New York State testing scores and second from Bob Moss on buildings, grounds and transportation.

After the audience waited for 25 minutes, Katulak got the ball rolling during his PowerPoint presentation. First, Katulak revealed the district test scores. The different accountability levels listed on the proposed chart showed student groups that made the adequate yearly progress in the subjects of English language arts, mathematics and science.

“You are also evaluated on the percentage of students who took the test,” Katulak said. “If you have less than 95 percent of the students taking the test — and even if every student got 100 percent — you will be considered a school in need of improvement because of the fact that somebody would think you left the students who are doing poorly at home.”

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In the district accountability, the percentage tested in all areas of performance was above 95 percent. All students also made the AYP in the three subjects, except for the students with disabilities scored five out of six in ELA.

“You will see that each individual school didn’t make it for their special education population, but when you average all of the numbers together, it didn’t happen that way,” Katulak said.

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In , all the students in the groups represented made the AYP for all three subjects; and so did the represented students at , and . Katulak noted that not every group is represented on the charts because if the groups consist of less than 30 students per class, “it will not come up statistically in the report.”

Katulak also presented a chart administered by the New York State Education Department that showed each level of percent from one to four for each grade and subject.

“Our goal is that we want to push more of our students who are currently at level three, which is the proficient range, to above proficiency and then of course looking at any student who was at level two or one into that proficient zone,” he said.  

Currently, academic programs include ELA grades K-6 by Scott Foresman, mathematics grades K-2 Envisions by Scott Foresman and grades 3-6 by Harcourt, science grades K-6 by Scott Foresman and social studies grades K-6 by Harcourt.

Katulak also provided a list of 10 supplementary support and extension programs for grades K-6, which are in addition to the other programs, including general music, chorus, orchestra, strings, stage band, band, visual parts and physical education.

Furthermore, progress monitoring will occur every six to eight weeks where grade level teams meet together with the principal to examine student progress on benchmark tests or teacher-created tests. Here, item analysis of student results is done and regrouping takes place. Then teachers share research-based instructional practices to increase student performance.

 “As budget goes into discussion, and that two percent comes in to play in the tax cap, we are going to be working very hard to try and maintain many of these programs,” Katulak said. 

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