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Testing
Testing
6th Grade |
7th Grade |
8th Grade |
Zero Growth Total by Subject |
As % of School Population |
|
| Reading |
111 |
141 |
200 |
452 |
35% |
| Language Arts |
102 |
127 |
173 |
402 |
31% |
| Math |
98 |
121 |
128 |
347 |
27% |
| (1) source: 2005-2006 NWEA data Depending on the subject, about one third of students at CMS are demonstrating zero growth. Correct. One third of our kids are not growing at all during the school year at CMS. That’s not just a little growth. That’s no growth. Zero. Has the SAU 16 administration sought expert advice? What would you do? |
| NUMBER OF CMS STUDENTS SHOWING ZERO ACADEMIC GROWTH(1) on the most recent NWEA tests |
CMS & EHS Test Data and Curriculum Info.
Link to SAU16's Assessment Data by school and grade level
Link to SAU16's Assessment Data by school and grade level
SAU16 statement about NWEA tests Read what our
administrators say about the NWEA tests on the official SAU website. Then ask
yourself why they're discounting the results of these tests when they show
recent curriculum, grouping, and philosophical changes appear to be failing our
students (stifling academic growth). See the related Exeter News-Letter articles:
administrators say about the NWEA tests on the official SAU website. Then ask
yourself why they're discounting the results of these tests when they show
recent curriculum, grouping, and philosophical changes appear to be failing our
students (stifling academic growth). See the related Exeter News-Letter articles:
The Local Press Comments...
December 1, 2006 Additional Challenge Necessary
December 26, 2006 Test Results Not Showing Growth
January 19, 2007 No Math Consensus
December 1, 2006 Additional Challenge Necessary
December 26, 2006 Test Results Not Showing Growth
January 19, 2007 No Math Consensus
This website is independently produced by and for the benefit of parents and taxpayers of SAU16. It is not affiliated with and does not represent views or opinions of the Exeter Region Cooperative School Board or SAU16 Administration. |
| This website and all of it's pages and links is a good faith attempt to provide the community with a centralized location of background information about changes that have occurred at our schools, and namely, CMS. It is not intended to attack anyone personally. If anyone sees anything contained in this good faith representation to be factually incorrect or derogatory in any way, please contact us immediately and we will review it and change it if this has accidentally occurred. |
| Understanding NECAP and NWEA Test Results |
SAU16 administrators like to talk about how well our students perform on the NECAP tests.
While it is true that our scores are much better than statewide averages, the same students’
performance on the NWEA tests show significant weaknesses, particularly at Cooperative
Middle School. It is important to consider the following points:
1. NECAP is not an adaptive, progressive test. (Conversely, the NWEA test, which is
administered electronically on computers, asks progressively harder questions and adapts its
questions to correct and incorrect responses.)
2. When adjusted for socio-economic demographics, our NECAP scores fall to about
average relative to other districts in the state. (Conversely, the nationally-administered NWEA
test results can be compared to a pool of communities with similar socio-economic status and
demographics to SAU16.)
3. NECAP scores only indicate the mastery of subject matter through the student’s most
recently completed academic year. It does not test for above- or below-grade level
performance. For example, if Johnny is an 8th grader taking the NECAP in the fall, his test will
only be scoring his mastery of 7th grade skills. A high score on the NECAP only indicates
complete comprehension of 7th grade material: It does not indicate above-grade level
performance. (Conversely, the adaptive NWEA test establishes Johnny’s performance
regardless of grade level, then sets targets for growth in future years. For example, our
student Johnny might earn NWEA scores that correlate to 10th grade-level comprehension of
math and 6th grade-level comprehension of reading, so his target for next year would be for
scores that correlate to 11th grade-level math and 7th grade-level reading.)
The bottom line is that the NECAP test is only used in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and
Vermont. It tells us far less about each student’s academic progress each year, and only
measures understanding of the previous year’s material to meet minimum state guidelines.
The NWEA is a far more flexible test that truly measure’s each child’s performance, marks it,
and sets a growth target for next year. It is also used nationwide, and the testing company can
provide comparisons with a pool of schools consisting of similar size and demographic status.
While it is true that our scores are much better than statewide averages, the same students’
performance on the NWEA tests show significant weaknesses, particularly at Cooperative
Middle School. It is important to consider the following points:
1. NECAP is not an adaptive, progressive test. (Conversely, the NWEA test, which is
administered electronically on computers, asks progressively harder questions and adapts its
questions to correct and incorrect responses.)
2. When adjusted for socio-economic demographics, our NECAP scores fall to about
average relative to other districts in the state. (Conversely, the nationally-administered NWEA
test results can be compared to a pool of communities with similar socio-economic status and
demographics to SAU16.)
3. NECAP scores only indicate the mastery of subject matter through the student’s most
recently completed academic year. It does not test for above- or below-grade level
performance. For example, if Johnny is an 8th grader taking the NECAP in the fall, his test will
only be scoring his mastery of 7th grade skills. A high score on the NECAP only indicates
complete comprehension of 7th grade material: It does not indicate above-grade level
performance. (Conversely, the adaptive NWEA test establishes Johnny’s performance
regardless of grade level, then sets targets for growth in future years. For example, our
student Johnny might earn NWEA scores that correlate to 10th grade-level comprehension of
math and 6th grade-level comprehension of reading, so his target for next year would be for
scores that correlate to 11th grade-level math and 7th grade-level reading.)
The bottom line is that the NECAP test is only used in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and
Vermont. It tells us far less about each student’s academic progress each year, and only
measures understanding of the previous year’s material to meet minimum state guidelines.
The NWEA is a far more flexible test that truly measure’s each child’s performance, marks it,
and sets a growth target for next year. It is also used nationwide, and the testing company can
provide comparisons with a pool of schools consisting of similar size and demographic status.