Mixed Results for Dorchester Two High School Students

high school students taking the state-required High School Assessment Program and the End of Course exams showed increases overall from the previous year, but decreases in one of the tests' math portion, according to 2010-11 school year data released on Friday by the State Department of Education.

Students usually take EOCEP assessments in algebra and English in ninth grade, only to take HSAP in 10th grade to fulfill the state’s high school exit examination requirement and for federal accountability purposes.

In a press release, State Superintendent Mick Zais called the testing "duplicative."

“Assessments are important to measuring student achievement and school performance, but the current system is duplicative,” said Zais. “Our state’s accountability system must be modernized to provide a single state and federal report that provides clear, meaningful data to the public and helps teachers improve instruction in the classroom.”

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In Dorchester Two, 92 percent of students passed the High School Assessment Program's language arts portion, compared with 90.7 percent passing the previous year. Of the students taking the exam, 86.6 percent passed the Math portion of the exam, a decrease of 1.4 percent from the previous year.

Seventy-nine percent or nearly 4 out of 5 of South Carolina’s students who took both the English language arts (ELA) and mathematics High School Assessment Program (HSAP) exams passed on their first attempt, according to data.

For ELA HSAP tests, 88.6 percent of the students tested (51,357) during the 2010-11 school year met the HSAP exam requirement of scoring a Level 2 or higher on the exam. In mathematics, 81.2 percent of the 51,356 students who took the test met the exit requirement.

A passing score is above 69. 

Public school students must pass both the HSAP exams in order to meet the state’s exit exam requirement for a high school diploma. A level 2 score of higher will qualify a passing score for the state.

If a student doesn’t pass an exam on his or her first attempt, additional opportunities are given to retake any exam.

Students must score a Level 3 or higher to meet proficiency standards for federal accountability, according to the education department.

The department also released End of Course exam information, which showed Dorchester Two increasing scores across five subjects.

According to the data, 4.7 percent more passed algebra, 1 percent more passed English, 4.8 percent more passed physical science and 5 percent more passed U.S. history and Constitution.

The statewide data for the EOC exams also showed that the percentage of students who passed in algebra, physical science and U.S. history, increased from the 2009-10 school year. English was the only subject area to show a decrease. 

The Education Accountability Act of 1998 requires students to take the End of Course exams in what the State Education Department calls gateway or benchmark courses, which includes English and algebra. All public school students who are enrolled in these courses must take the exam. 

The End of Course results count for 20 percent of a student’s final course grade.

Here is a breakdown of the EOC exam results for the state: 

•  82.1 percent of the 56,492 students tested passed the Algebra exam, an improvement of 1.9 percent
• 68 percent of the 51,514 students tested passed the Biology exam
• 72.5 percent of the 54,830 students tested passed the English exam, a decrease of 1.2 percent
• 59.8 percent of the 53,506 students tested passed the Physical Science exam, an improvement of .7 percent
• 49.7 percent of the 47,724 students tested passed the U.S. History exam, an improvement of 3.4 percent

The 2010-11 school year is the first year for the Biology exam. 

Achievement gaps (differences in average scale score) decreased from 2010 to 2011 between white andHispanic students on HSAP tests of English language arts and mathematics. However, the achievement gap between white and black students increased in both subjects, despite gains by both groups in ELA. The achievement gap between students who pay full price and students who receive free/reduced meals decreasedin mathematics.

In ELA, the achievement gap increased even though both groups saw gains in their average scale scores.

Achievement gaps were reduced between white and Hispanic students on EOCEP tests of English andphysical science. The achievement gap between white and black students decreased in physical science, but increased in algebra and English. The gap between students who pay full price and students who receive free/reduced meals decreased in physical science, but increased in algebra and English.