Galloway Schools' Annual Progress Report Shows Work to be Done

On Monday, Nov. 14, Galloway Township Superintendent of Schools Annette Giaquinto presented the Board of Education with the 2010-11 progress report.

The annual progress report showed how students fared on standardized testing, such as ASK, in the areas of language arts and math; it also showed how the students' scores compared to the state average and to a test group.

Only one grade level, in one of the two subject areas, had reached this current year's benchmark score of 80. Giaquinto indicated that the benchmark had been raised this past spring. A passing grade for the year before was 64.

"Why did they increase the passing grade from 60 percent to 84," asked board member John Knorr. "That's a 24 percent increase. Are they nuts?"

Giaquinto said she couldn't say why the percentage had gone up that much in one year's time. However, there are actions the district has taken and is doing to improve students' test scores.

They include the continuation of the  "Just Words" program for identified students within the school district; expanding the intervention services for language arts and, for math, implementing the "Touch Math" program to supplement current programs; use math reflex software; and adding intervention services at the elementary schools and reconfiguration of the intervention services program at the middle school.

Students' test scores were, for the most part, in line with the state average. When students' scores improved from one year to the next, so did the state average.

In other business, the Galloway Township Board of Education approved of limiting the number of students participation in the school choice program. The Department of Education had allowed eligible districts to be a choice school under state legislation.

As such, the district is seeking to limit the number of resident students from attending choice programs to no more than 10 percent per grade level and 15 percent of district resident students.

The board also recognized the Police Athletic League at Monday night's meeting. PAL donated gymnasium scoreboards to the district's schools. Officials with PAL said they donated the scoreboards since the district allows them to utilize the gymnasiums for their events.