2013 & 2014 ELA RESULTS

2014 NYS ELA/Math test results were released on Aug 14, 2014. The percent of “all” test-takers in Grades 3-8 who met or exceeded proficiency standards (Levels 3 & 4) for Commack UFSD and 8 nearby districts was: Harborfields (56.1%),ColdSpringHarbor(52.7%), Elwood(50.3%), HalfHollowHills(45.7%), KingsPark(45.3%), Smithtown(45.0%), Commack(44.4%), ENorthport(42.7%), and Hauppauge(38.4%). The 9-district average is 45.7%. Except for Elwood, these are “low-needs” districts. Statewide, the average for “low-needs” districts was 49.4%. So, 6 of the above listed districts scored below the statewide average of their peers. Other proficiency percentages of interest: NYS(31.2%), Nassau(41.8%), Suffolk(32.7%).
How do these compare with 2013 performance? For corresponding conditions, the 2013 ELA results were: ColdSpringHarbor(55.6%), Harborfields(54.9%), HalfHollowHills(53.3%), KingsPark(50.6%), Smithtown(50.0%), Elwood(48.3%), ENorthport(46.2%), Commack(44.4%) Hauppauge(43.8%); the 9-district average was 49.4% and the statewide average of “low-needs” districts was 52.0%. Others: NYS(31.3%), Nassau(43.8%), Suffolk(36.3%).
Based on results in Nassau, Suffolk, and the 9 neighboring districts, the percent of “all” test-takers in grades 3-8 decreased noticeably in 2014 relative to 2013; for example, the 9-district average decreased by 3.7%.
Restricting interest to GeneraL Education students (i.e., english learners and disabled pupils are excluded), the numbers differ but the conclusion is confirmed. The percent of Grade 3-8 Gen Ed students who scored proficient on the 2014 ELA was:Harborfields(64.%), ColdSpringHarbor(57.%), Elwood(54.5%), KingsPark(53.4%), HalfHollowHills(52.8%),Smithtown(50.3%), Commack(50.3%), ENorthport(48.7%), and Hauppauge(43.%). The 9-district average was 51.8%; this is 6.1% higher than the percent proficiency of “all” test-takers in the 2014 ELA. The 9-district average for Gen Ed test-takers in 2013 was 56.% so that the decrease from 2013 to 2014 was 4.2%.
The decrease between 2013 and 2014 ELA proficiency percent is beyond randomness. So Common Core training/workshops and/or “teaching to the test” has apparently been ineffective. It is possible that opt outs (refusals) affected results; there were 11.3% fewer test-takers in 2014 relative to 2013. Changes in the difficulty of (fewer) test questions could have been a factor though cut scores were unchanged. It will probably require massive opt outs and/or the long overdue resignation of John King and Meryll Tisch to bring about the end of the controversial Common Core experiment.