Bedford Schools Once Again Impress in Student Assessment Results

State Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) test results were released last week and, as usual, Bedford students consistently exceeded goals.

The federally-mandated accountability testing, which measures participation and performance, tests students in mathematics and reading proficiency.

Bedford schools met AYP in all categories, with the exception of students with educational disabilities.

"The district overall, as well as Riddle Brook Elementary, Lurgio Middle School (math only) and Bedford High School, all missed meeting the target index score for students with educational disabilities," said SAU 25 Asst. Superintendent Chip McGee. "These are areas we anticipated having challenges and we have plans to improve. We have several projects planned for the summer to improve our instructional programs for identified students. It is worth noting that the writing results, which are not scores in AYP, have provided the most important guidance for the district; one of our top academic goals in the coming years is to improve writing instruction in grades five through eight."

McGee did note, however, the district showed improved performance, in both reading and math, by students with educational disabilities at McKelvie Intermediate School and Peter Woodbury Elementary school.

"Last year, these schools were identified by the Department of Education for having not met target scores for students with disabilities for two years in a row. The professional staff, administration, support staff, families and students have taken a number of steps to improve instruction in this area, and I believe it has paid off. Of course, we will pay careful attention to this area in the coming year as well."

While saying the district values and utilizes both AYP and scores to improve curriculum and teaching strategies within the district, McGee expressed a specific concern about the testing system.

"For years, many people have noted that the 100-percent proficient expectation for all students is somewhat absurd. This year, the Department of Education decided to score our most disabled students - those who suffer from multiple physical disabilities or significant mental impairments - to be scored against the same standards as every other student," said McGee. "In Bedford, those students attend Riddle Brook School for their elementary years.  As a result, all of those students' scores were counted in Riddle Brook's AYP calculations.  So, while it is critical that those students be included in our programs and our communities, it makes little sense to me that their best academic efforts be counted negatively and all for one school."

The following is a recap of all district scores:

Bedford High School

BHS met AYP in all requirements with the exception, as noted above, of students with educational disability.

Those 25 students compiled a 76.8 in reading, down 1.6 from 2011, and falling 12.2 short of the the target score of 89. In math, those same students dropped from 60 (72 target score) in 2011 to 40.8 this year.

Still, the school, as a whole, showed improvement in reading scores, jumping from a 289-student index score of 95.6 in 2011 to 96.3 this year. The target score was 89.

Of the 289 students participating in mathematics testing, BHS produced an index score of 82.4, down 1.2 from 2011, yet more than 10 points higher than the target score of 72.

Lurgio Middle School

Bedford's middle school students earned an index score of 96.9 in reading and 93.5 in math, down slightly from 97.2 and 95.8 in 2011, respectively.

Both scored still beat the school's targets, and students with educational disabilities fell short of the target but met AYP because of the "confidence interval" provided to local-level testing scores, which means the school made AYP because the scores showed growth over the previous year and because they fell within the accepted standard deviation range around this year's targets.

McKelvie Intermediate School

McKelvie students scored an average of 98.5 in reading, up 2.6 from 2011 and 7.5 higher than the target score of 91.

In math, 747 students garnered an index score of 97.2, 1.9 higher than last tear and 9.2 above their target.

Though students with educational disabilities fell 3.6 short of their index goal of 91 in reading, they fell within the the confidence interval.

Similarly, in math (target of 88) students improved to an index score of 79.7, up from 74.1 last year.

Riddle Brook School

As McGee noted above, Riddle Brook scores were brought down slightly due to its students with educational disabilities score dropping from 93.7 in reading last year to 81 in 2012, and falling from 90.2 in math to 74.6.

As a whole, Riddle Brook students excelled, compiling a reading index of 97.2, (1.5 down from 2011, but 6.2 above the target), and 96.1 in math (down 1.3 from 2011, but 8.1 above the target).

Peter Woodbury School

Woodbury students jumped from 97.6 in reading in 2011 to 98.4 this year, and 98 in mathematics from 97 last year.

Students with educational disabilities met AYP through the confidence interval, grabbing an index score of 89.2 (target of 91) and 83.8 (target of 88) in math.

Memorial School

Memorial students met AYP by taking home a reading index of 98.1 (98.5 in 2011) and 98.2 (97.5 in 2011), with targets of 91 and 88, respectively.

Those is educational disabilities averaged an 85.8 (CI) out of 91 in reading and 91.7 out of 88 in mathematics.