|  | Saint Paul students improve on important national test
6/23/2004 9:10 AMWith test scores in her hand and a smile on her face, Saint Paul Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Harvey presented the results of the Sanford Achievement Test, Tenth Edition (SAT10), to the Board of Education Tuesday, June 22.
The test is an important indicator of the districts performance because, unlike the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) that compare the performance of different groups of students each year, the SAT10 measures individual student growth from year to year.
The grin on Harveys face was due to the fact that, for the most part, the percentage of students scoring in the average or above average range on reading and math, as well as their subtests, grew from 2003 to 2004. Students in grades two through eight take the SAT10.
This growth, which we expected, is further confirmation that we are on the right course and have the right plan in place to help all students reach their individual potential, she said. Earlier this year, our MCA scores demonstrated that the vast majority of our schools are performing well, these results demonstrate that the vast majority of our students are doing the same.
Highlights of the test results include:
Increases in the percentage of students scoring in the average or above average range for reading (from 72 percent to 74 percent) math (from 74 percent to 78 percent) for all students;
Rising percentages of students scoring in the average or above average range in reading and math for students in specific subgroups, including Asian American, Hispanic American, African American, Caucasian, Low Income, English Language Learners and Special Education; and
Better performance by students who are enrolled in the district for at least three years compared to those who are enrolled for two or fewer years.
While Harvey was pleased with the growth shown by all student groups, she expressed concern about the achievement gap between Caucasian students and students of color. We must continue to focus our energy and resources on helping all students achieve to the highest level possible, regardless of their ethnicity, she said. Higher test scores for all students is a start, but it is not enough.
The Stanford Achievement Test, Tenth Edition, is a nationally normed test that allows the school district to compare the performance of Saint Paul students to that of students throughout the country. Individual student results will be mailed to families later this week.
| | | | | | | Click here to view districtwide and school-by-school result charts for the SAT10. |
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