West Morris Juniors Take 'Impressive' Jump on Test Scores

Both high schools in the West Morris Regional High School  District recorded their highest scores on the state’s 11^th grade tests in four years, according to Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast.

At last week's board meeting, Pendergrast said the effort to improve the test scores was one of many goals the board set for the 2012-13 school year.

Last year, Pendergrast reminded the board, it set out to establish a set of goals designed to provide targets on key issues for the next three years. The goals included education, management, communications and systemic improvements aimed at increasing student achievement and a more streamlined and open school district.

One key goal was to create a data system that could give parents, school officials and others a clear picture of the district’s progress, Pendergrast said.  The results of that data system are posted on the district’s website.

One aspect of student achievement that the board agreed to focus on was the progress made  by “middle achievers,” he said. 

Too often, the focus is only placed on the progress of high achieving students, he said. The change in focus is evident in the scores recoded on the latest round of state tests, Pendergrast said.

At West Morris Mendham High School this year, 58 percent of students achieved advanced proficiency in math, up from 55 percent in 2012. In 2010, 50 percent of students achieved advanced proficiency.

In reading and writing, this year 56.3 percent of students achieved advanced proficiency, a jump from 48 percent in 2012. In 2010, the total was 44 percent.

At Central High School, 50 percent of students achieved advanced proficiency in math this year, up from 48 percent in 2012  and 43.8 percent in 2010.

In reading and writing  52.6 percent of students achieved advanced proficiency this year, up from 39.2 percent in 2012 and 35.8 percent in 2010.

Pendergrast said scores represent the result of setting targets for achievement.

“It has been very, very impressive,” he said.

The district’s specials needs students also performed well in state tests, said district special services coordinator David Leigh.  The key change, he said was the replacement of the standards set by the federal No Child Left Behind law, which called for annual improvements  until 100 percent of students reached proficiency levels in standardized tests, to  more realistic approach of setting five to six year targets of having  more than 90 percent of students reach proficiency.