Report: Ridgewood Schools Show Steady Improvement

Ridgewood's schools scored better on standardized tests than other districts in similar socioeconomic areas during the spring of this year, according to the 2009-2010 Districtwide Testing Report.

According to the report, Ridgewood students as a whole outperformed other students in the same District Factor Group (DFG), which is compiled by the New Jersey Department of Education for the comparison of standardized test scores. DFGs are determined by a variety of factors, including average education level, population density, unemployment level and median income of each school district. Ridgewood joined New Jersey's highest-ranked DFG in 2006, J, and has been statistically one of the best districts in it since.

The elementary schools performed better than other districts in language arts and math on tests last spring. Under much controversy dubbed 'math wars,' the district rolled out enVision math instructional software and textbooks for grades K-2. The district added grades 3-5 for 2010-2011, though those numbers will not be revealed until 2011.

Ridgewood High School also outperformed the other high schools in math, according to the report.

However, the middle schools narrowly missed the DFG average in all categories, but have steadily improved in all grade levels since 2006, when the district introduced its controversial Connected Math 2 textbook series.

There has been either small improvement or no noticeable trend in most other grades.

According to Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Regina Botsford, the improvement is due to goals which are set for each school each year, based on their performance.

"I think the goal-setting process is an important one," Botsford said. "Regardless of whether we meet the goal or not, just going through the process of setting the goal and setting up an action plan and implementing that plan makes us stronger as a district."

Last year, 2009-2010, 20 goals were met, one was .1 percent away from being met and nine were not met across the schools. This year, the district has set 20 new goals to meet in the spring, which are developed with data specific to each school and grade level.  

"We determine measurable goals that are a stretch, but attainable," Botsford said.