Hampton Schools' Science Scores Improving

The Hampton School District and Winnacunnet High School each showed some improvement in this year's New England Common Assessment Program science test scores, and school officials are focusing on ways to continue that growth, according to the Hampton Union.

The Hampton Union has reported that 70 percent of Hampton's fourth grade students and 46 percent of eighth grade students scored "proficient" or above on the science NECAPs — administered in New Hampshire to fourth, eighth and eleventh graders — and that both groups placed above the respective proficient or above state averages of 53 percent and 32 percent in those grade levels.

Those numbers are relatively flat compared to the previous year, according to School Administrative Unit 90 Superintendent Kathleen Murphy, as reported by the paper. The Hampton Union reported that Murphy said the biggest areas of concern for the district are improving performance in the hands-on science experiment section of the test and working with eighth grade students because no eighth graders tested in the "proficient with distinction" category, which is the highest scoring level.

The Hampton Union also reported that 40 percent of WHS juniors scored proficient or above this year, which is a dramatic increase from the 21 percent who did so last year and the 19 percent who did so the previous year. The state average this year was 33 percent.