Why did
the state increase the cut scores this year?
Why are state
exams administered each year?
When will my child take the exams and when will I get the scores?
How do I
know if my child passed the state exams?
My child scored a 2 on one of their exams. What does this mean?
My child scored a 2 on both exams. Will he/she receive extra help next
year?
My child scored a 4 on both exams. What is being done to make sure
he/she is being challenged in school?
How is BKW preparing for broader educational reforms down the road?
Why did the state increase the cut scores this year?
State leaders said that increasing proficiency
scores in English and math would help align state and national standards
and better prepare students for high school and college.
State officials say these changes are part of a “broader educational
reform effort” that, within the next few years, will change the format
and standards on the tests to make them more challenging.
Why are state exams administered each year?
Each year, students in grades 3 through 8 take
New York State exams in English language arts (ELA) and math. District
leaders use the scores on these exams to track student progress and
determine areas in need of improvement – both for individual students
and within each grade level.
The scores on these exams are also used to determine school and district
accountability under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. In the
five years this scoring system has been in place, BKW schools have met
testing targets to achieve “good standing.”
When will my child take the exams and when will I get the scores?
In 2009-10, the exams were administered in late April and early May. In 2010-2011, the exams will be administered in May. The results are typically released by the state by the fall. Individual student report cards have gone home to parents. If you did not receive your child's report card, please call the main office of your child's school.
How do I know if my child passed the state exams?
Each student receives a scale score on each exam. These scores are then compared to the Proficiency Standard Scores – sometimes called cut scores – that are set by the state. Based on how his/her score compares to the cut score, each student is classified into one of four performance levels:Level 4 - Exceeding the proficiency standard; Level 3 - Meeting the proficiency standard; Level 2 - Meeting the basic standard; Level 1 - Does not meet the learning standard. If a student scores at a Level 3 or 4, he/she is considered proficient and “passed” the test. Students scoring at Levels 1 or 2 typically receive extra help to strengthen their English and math skills.
My child scored a 2 on one of their exams. What does this mean?
There are a variety of reasons why a student may not have reached proficiency on one, or both, of the state exams. For this reason, school leaders look at each child’s test results to see what his/her strengths and weaknesses are. By doing this, they can target individual instruction to better meet each student’s needs – and find larger patterns to identify problem areas across the curriculum.
If your child scored a 2 on one of the exams, it doesn’t mean your child learned any less this past school year or achieved less at school. Any parent who is concerned about their child’s performance on the state exams – or in school in general – should call their child’s building principal.
My child scored a 2 on both exams. Will he/she receive extra help next year?
Students who scored below 650 on one or both of the 2009-10 state exams will receive academic intervention services (AIS) this school year, depending on their individual needs. Parents of students who require AIS services will be contacted by their child’s school.
BKW offers a number of opportunities to further challenge students who excel in school. Parents should contact their child’s building principal to learn more.
How is BKW preparing for broader educational reforms down the road?
While district leaders agree that it is
difficult and frustrating to see proficiency rates decline so
drastically as a result of changes in scoring procedures, they also
agree with state and federal education officials when they say we need
to ensure that more students are prepared for college – and the
21st-Century workplace. District educators continue to look at the state
testing data to determine areas in need of improvement, and they will be
using this information to make necessary curriculum improvements at all
levels.
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