Smithfield Students Improve Standardized Test Scores

From Smithfield Public Schools: The Rhode Island Department of Education released the 2017 PARCC test results for each of the public schools and districts in the state. PARCC test scores measure the level of proficiency for Common Core standards achieved by each student in the areas of math and English.

According to a report issued by the Rhode Island Department of Education on August 24, 2017, 14 of the state’s 235 elementary and middle schools that participated in PARCC English Language Arts/Literacy testing had statistically significant increases in the percent of students who met or exceeded expectations. Two of these 14 - Old County Road School and Willia Winsor School - are Smithfield schools. For mathematics, only 8 Rhode Island Schools had such statistically significant increases, one of which is Gallagher Middle School.
The rising numbers of proficient students in Smithfield was not a surprise to district and school administrators. In Old County Road School, Laurie Sullivan, Principal, explains, “teachers have been working on improving reading instruction and individualizing support to students through a workshop model.”

A partnership with the Learning Community, a Rhode Island public charter school, which was funded through the Rhode Island Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, has provided ongoing professional development and guidance to Old County Road School teachers over the past five years. Support included training in proven reading instructional techniques, assessment and data analysis systems, units of study aligned to Common Core standards, and instructional materials.

Brian Ackerman, Principal of William Winsor Elementary School, attributed that school’s improving scores to a growing comfort of teachers to the higher expectations of the Common Core standards. Additionally, he states, “our use of assessments for targeting instruction ensures that the needs of each student are met.”

Gallagher Middle School’s principal, Laurie Beauvais, concurred and added, “students’ use of and comfort with Chromebooks helped them navigate the new test.”

Superintendent Judy Paolucci noted, “it’s clear that in Smithfield it’s not just about a test; district programs ensure a well-rounded education that focus on the arts, physical education, character, as well as core academics. State assessments have their place and when such assessments measure areas we value, such as reading, writing, and math, how well we do on those assessments is important.”

At Old County Road School, teachers provided students with strategies for test-taking. “Helping students with test-taking strategies ensures that they are better able to show us what they know” Principal Sullivan explains.

According to the RIDE assessment report, the PARCC assessment “does not define a district, school, or, most importantly, a student. Rather, the information offers an objective check on student learning.” The PARCC and SAT assessments align fairly well with NAEP assessments and the percent of students not meeting expectations is very close to the percent of students who need remedial coursework at community colleges.

For this reason, educational leaders are able to use results to gauge how well their schools are preparing
students for their postgraduate lives.

Low participation rates are a cause for concern. While at the state level, participation rates reached 98% this year – well above the federal requirement of 95%, in some Rhode Island schools participation fell to below 50%. The 2017 participation rates for Smithfield schools ranged from 81% at McCabe Elementary School to 95% at Winsor Elementary School.

Without accurate measures of student performance, schools will be challenged to both assess their progress with reading and math skill development and identify and support individual students who are not meeting expectations. Additionally, while sanctions for schools not meeting the 95% participation quota have not been identified, the stakes are considerable, since many schools receive tens of thousands of dollars of federal grants.

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