Last year the average of our reading scores on grades tested by the PSSA (Gr. 3-8) climbed 8.5% and math scores rose 3.8%. For the fifth time in the last six years we met the Federal Government's measure of success known as "Adequate Yearly Progress" or "AYP." The graph below shows the steady climb that our scores have made since our founding.
One high point in the recent scores was last year's 8th grader's reading scores-80% of whom scored proficient or advanced in reading. In math, the high achieving grade was last year's sixth grade-76% of whom scored proficient or advanced in math.
In writing, students are tested in grades 4 and 8. In the fourth grade 52% of our students scored proficient or advanced. In 8th grade that number rose to 60%. With the revision of our writing program this past summer, and professional development this year and next, we expect those scores to continue to rise.
The news was more mixed in relation science. Science is tested in grades 4 and 8. Of our fourth graders, a whopping 89% of our students scored proficient or advanced. At the eighth grade level this percentage was only 32.5%. We know we have an exceptionally strong middle school science program, so what we need to figure out this year is how that is not translating into higher test scores. Part of the explanation is that the 8th grade test is more difficult (statewide only 54.8% of 8th graders were proficient and advance, whereas 83% of 4th graders met this goal) but there's still more that needs to be done here.