District Assessment Report Rory McCourt – District Testing Coordinator Westwood Regional School District October 18, 2012

Historical Context : substandard scores in many areas of standardized testing Multiple assessment measures for students and parents? NJASK/HSPA action-plans Staff development for general and special education, BSI, ESL teachers Explicit test-preparation (NJASK Primers) Building-based focus Lesson plans & formal observations Incentive programs Cultural change Decrease PP and increase AP Increasing academic rigor = transfer of content knowledge and skills Continued focus on best- practice instructional strategies District Assessment Report “road shows”

Results : Strong growth on the NJASK/HSPA/Advanced Placement tests Jr./Sr. H.S. no longer a SINI Creation of more “authentic” assessments K-12 Alternate Assessment Folders Goal: Sustain and improve Results: Sustained performance or growth in most areas

Language Arts Literacy (09-10) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WRSD outperformed the DFG

Language Arts Literacy (10-11) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WRSD outperformed the DFG

Language Arts Literacy (11-12) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WRSD outperformed the DFG

Mathematics (09-10) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WRSD outperformed the DFG

Mathematics (10-11) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WRSD outperformed the DFG

Mathematics (11-12) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WRSD outperformed the DFG

Science 4 & 8 (10-11) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) 8 4 GENERAL ED. 8 4 State Science Proficient & Advanced State Science Proficient & Advance DFG Science Proficient & Advanced DFG Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED. 8 4 State Science Proficient & Advanced DFG Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WWRSD outperformed the DFG TOTAL STUDENTS GENERAL ED. State Biology Proficient & Advanced 57.3 State Biology Proficient & Advance 65.0 DFG Biology Proficient & Advanced 69.3 DFG Biology Proficient & Advanced 76.9 Westwood Biology Proficient & Advanced 79.2 Westwood Biology Proficient & Advanced 87.4 SPECIAL ED.State Biology Proficient & Advanced 20.4 DFG Biology Proficient & Advanced 26.6 Westwood Biology Proficient & Advanced 48.5 Biology Competency Test (10-11)

Science 4 & 8 (11-12) TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) 8 4 GENERAL ED. 8 4 State Science Proficient & Advanced State Science Proficient & Advance DFG Science Proficient & Advanced DFG Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED. 8 4 State Science Proficient & Advanced DFG Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WWRSD outperformed the DFG TOTAL STUDENTS GENERAL ED. State Biology Proficient & Advanced 59.2 State Biology Proficient & Advance 66.6 DFG Biology Proficient & Advanced 69.4 DFG Biology Proficient & Advanced 76.5 Westwood Biology Proficient & Advanced 86.7 Westwood Biology Proficient & Advanced 91.3 SPECIAL ED.State Biology Proficient & Advanced 23.6 DFG Biology Proficient & Advanced 29.9 Westwood Biology Proficient & Advanced 50 Biology Competency Test (11-12)

Longitudinal Results (ELA) 11-12PPPAPMean Grade 320.1% (+3.1)73.1%6.8% (+1.6)215.2 (+3.8) Grade 427.5% (+3.7)67.1%5.3% (+.2)210.8 (+2.2) Grade 517.7% (+9.6)72.7%9.6% (+.2)216 (+4.2) Grade 623.1% (+1.9)70.1%6.8% (-1.5)216.3 (+1.4) Grade 722.3% (+5.5)64.4%13.4% (-2)219.5 (+3) Grade 88% (+2.4)69.8%22.2% (+2.3)229.7 (+1.9) Grade 113.3% (+1.2)67.6%29.1% (+2.1)238.1 (+1.1) 10-11PPPAPMean Grade 326.4%65%7.5%212.8 Grade 423.6%67%9.4%213.5 Grade 529.2%66%4.8%210.2 Grade 618.4%71.1%10.4%217.7 Grade 724.5%55.6%19.9%218.2 Grade 87.2%73.8%19%231.2 Grade 114.2%72.3%23.6%235.9

Longitudinal Results (Math) 11-12PPPAPMean Grade 37.3% (+5.5)34.7%58% (+10.4)250 (+8) Grade 411.7% (+2.8)50%38.3% (-3.2)237.8 (-0.6) Grade 57.6% (+2.8)53.3%39% (-7.3)240.6 (-3.1) Grade 613.1% (+1.2)49.4%37.5% (-1.6)234.5 (-2) Grade 722.3% (+5.3)47%30.7% (+1.2)227.8 (+3) Grade 815.6% (+3.3)42.9%41.5% (+2.7)237.6 (+3.7) Grade % (+0.2)57.7%29.7% (-3.6)230.7 (-1.7) 10-11PPPAPMean Grade 36.6%41.8%51.6%246.0 Grade 49.9%52.4%37.7%237.9 Grade 516.4%49.2%34.4%232.2 Grade 612.4%56.2%31.3%232.2 Grade 724.7%47.0%28.4%226.2 Grade 817.2%49.8%33.0%231.3 Grade %55.5%28.3%229.9

HSPA (Special Education) English Language ArtsMathematics

A Few Highlights Jr./Sr. H.S: AP tests – 80.8% to 81.3% (% 3 or higher), 40.7% to 47.5% (% 4 or higher) +10% increase in passing rate for 3 rd graders at Washington School in ELA +12% increase in passing rate for 4 th graders from when they were in 3 rd at George School in ELA +8% increase in advanced proficiency for 3 rd graders at Brookside School in mathematics (58%) +21% increase in passing rate in ELA, 13% in mathematics, and 29% in advanced proficiency in mathematics for 5 th graders at Berkeley School from when they were in 4 th grade WRMS passing rates exceed DFG and State averages again Positive feedback regarding Alternate Assessment Folders and alternate assessments

Next Steps Maintain strong scores through continuation of best-practices Improve in key areas in math and ELA Narrow focus in ELA and math on the Common Core Standards Focus on multiple measures of assessment

What is a True Measure of Authentic Student Achievement? Standardized tests (NJASK, HSPA, SATs, AP tests, etc.) = limitations Reading assessments Internal benchmark assessments Authentic real-world assessments/projects Student performances Student portfolios

Questions If you have questions, please contact Rory McCourt at or please contact your building