State: Five Towns School Districts Pass the Test

Students of Five Towns school districts matched or outperformed state averages on most subject assessments, according to district report cards that were released by the New York State Department of Education on Thursday.

Both the Hewlett-Woodmere School District and the Lawrence School District are described to be in “good standing” in terms of English language arts, mathematics, science and graduation rate, according to the report.

While Hewlett-Woodmere received checkmarks in every category, Lawrence was cited for not making “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP) in several categories. The district’s graduation rate for black students of 73 percent fell short of the 80 percent goal, the report said.

Meanwhile, students with disabilities in Lawrence did not meet the criteria on test performance in elementary/middle-level English language arts. On secondary-level English language arts, Latino students, those with disabilities and economically disadvantaged did not meet the criterion. Finally, economically disadvantaged students underperformed in secondary-level mathematics.

In a bright spot for both districts, fourth graders performed very well in science. In Hewlett, 98 percent of fourth graders scored at or above level 3, or meets learning standards, in the subject, while 96 percent of Lawrence fourth graders achieved the same feat.

Passing rates in English and math plummeted last year, due in large part to how the state scores exams.  The State Board of Regents adopted scoring changes to the exams last July, which require students to answer several more questions correctly to receive a level 3 score — considered a state benchmark to identify students who are meeting learning standards. The students had taken the tests two months prior to the decision.

Passing rates on the exams were down statewide with only 53 percent of students – compared to 77 percent in 2009 – reaching the proficiency level on the English exams. On the math side, it was more of the same, with the state passing rate falling from 86 percent to 61 percent over the last year.

Administrators of both districts could not be reached for comment.

Other notable statistics from the reports:

• Enrollment in both districts has been falling for the past three school years, with each district's student population just below 2,950.
• The number of students eligible for free lunch has been rising in Lawrence, with 29 percent in 2009-10, compared to 23 percent the two school years prior.
• Latino students became the majority at 37 percent in Lawrence in 2009-10. White students retain a huge majority in Hewlett-Woodmere at 77 percent.
• Lawrence student suspensions dropped from 374 in 2006-07 to 220 in 2008-09. Hewlett increased from 26 to 41 in the same time frame.
• Despite having slightly less students, Lawrence had 30 more teachers than Hewlett-Woodmere in 2009-10 with 317.
• Hewlett’s turnover rate of teachers with fewer than five years of experience increased from 20 percent in 2006-07 to 47 percent in 2008-09.

Percentage of students performing at level 3 in English language arts:

79

Percentage of students performing at level 3 in mathematics:

79

Percentage of students performing at level 3 in science: