TOOELE — Strong in science, on the way to even more improvement in language arts and — like most other districts in Utah — lower in math beyond the elementary level. That is the picture Tooele District officials are looking at as they analyze the 2001 core curriculum end-of-year tests.
Deseret News graphicTooele test resultsRequires Adobe Acrobat. |
"We're generally pleased," said Delajean Berry, district testing director.
The district results are affected by a large number of students who do not speak English as a primary language in its Wendover schools, she said. Approaching 10,000 students, the district has been growing fast, mostly as bedroom communities of workers who commute to nearby Salt Lake City for work. Three new elementary schools and a high school will open in the next year or so to help relieve overburdened classrooms.
"We're working hard on our language arts," said Berry. A professional development program for all teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade is likely to impact scores starting next year, she believes. The district adopted a new reading program a few years ago and the emphasis on teacher development will maximize the effectiveness of that program, she said.
Science has generally been a strong area for Tooele District, with scores "close or above the state average." In that category, however, study of earth systems showed relatively low mastery at 26.8 percent with 26.3 percent at near mastery.
Students who score at mastery or near-mastery levels are considered prepared to move on to the next grade level. Scores in the partial mastery or minimal mastery categories indicate students are not adequately prepared to move on.
Seventh-grade math posted the lowest score, with only 12.8 percent of the test-takers registering mastery of the subject, and another 22.3 percent near mastery. Berry joined other testing officials along the Wasatch Front in her perception that the test is misaligned with the core curriculum in math. At the elementary level, students do well, but there is a decided slip as the tests begin to focus on higher mathematic concepts such as pre-algebra, elementary algebra and geometry.
Tooele has always published its end-of-year core tests, said Berry, even though they have not been required to. "It's another way of looking at growth, how our students are doing. We'd always like to do better."
E-MAIL: tvanleer@desnews.com