Small gains in latest PARCC scores
Rhode Island released standardized test scores from the past school year today. Scores have improved slightly compared to last year on the test, known as the PARCC. In math, average scores went up by 5 percentage points, and in English, scores improved by 2 percentage points....
Rhode Island released standardized test scores from the past school year today. Scores have improved slightly compared to last year on the test, known as the PARCC. In math, average scores went up by 5 percentage points, and in English, scores improved by 2 percentage points.
This was Rhode Island’s second year using the test. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or the PARCC, is aligned with Common Core standards and was used by seven states in 2016.
While average scores did go up, Rhode Island students’ scores remained low, compared to other states. Only 38% of students met grade level expectations on the English portion of the test, and math scores were even lower. Less than a third of students passed the math portion of the PARCC. Rhode Island Department of Education Commissioner Ken Wagner said that student achievement on standardized tests in the state has been at a consistent 30 to 40% plateau for decades.
Achievement gaps, which have also historically existed in the Rhode Island, stayed largely the same in comparison to last year.
In urban schools (Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket), 20% of students met English expectations and 15% met math expectations. That’s more than 10 percentage points lower than the statewide average. Achievement gaps between racial and ethnic groups also remained large, with under 15% of black and Hispanic students meeting grade level math expectations, in comparison with 38% of white students.
Though students may decide to opt-out of taking the test, participation increased in comparison to last year. 96% of students took the test in 2016, in comparison to 88% last year. Rhode Island met the federal participation-rate requirement of 95%, meaning the state is not at the risk of losing federal funding.
“Participation is up, results are moving in the right direction Let’s get back to work,” said Wagner.
Individual test results are being shipped to schools at the end of this week. Schools should be sending those reports home to families within the month, said RIDE’s Deputy Commissioner for Teaching and Learning Mary Ann Snider.
While average scores did go up, Rhode Island students’ scores remained low, compared to other states. Only 38% of students met grade level expectations on the English portion of the test, and math scores were even lower. Less than a third of students passed the math portion of the PARCC. Rhode Island Department of Education Commissioner Ken Wagner said that student achievement on standardized tests in the state has been at a consistent 30 to 40% plateau for decades.
Achievement gaps, which have also historically existed in the Rhode Island, stayed largely the same in comparison to last year.
In urban schools (Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket), 20% of students met English expectations and 15% met math expectations. That’s more than 10 percentage points lower than the statewide average. Achievement gaps between racial and ethnic groups also remained large, with under 15% of black and Hispanic students meeting grade level math expectations, in comparison with 38% of white students.
Though students may decide to opt-out of taking the test, participation increased in comparison to last year. 96% of students took the test in 2016, in comparison to 88% last year. Rhode Island met the federal participation-rate requirement of 95%, meaning the state is not at the risk of losing federal funding.
“Participation is up, results are moving in the right direction Let’s get back to work,” said Wagner.
Individual test results are being shipped to schools at the end of this week. Schools should be sending those reports home to families within the month, said RIDE’s Deputy Commissioner for Teaching and Learning Mary Ann Snider.