Earlier this school year, students across the New Richmond Exempted Village School District participated in Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing.
Fifteen of the 17 tested groups saw average scores increase. As a whole, the district saw average scores increase anywhere from 1.1 to 11.3 points. The median increase across all 17 groups was 4.9 points.
The data pulled from the two tests gives the first glimpse at how students are adapting to the new reading/language arts curriculum.
“Usually with a new reading program, you experience a little bit of achievement dip,” New Richmond Director of Curriculum and Technology Dr. Jill Hollandsworth said. “It’s common. This kind of growth is remarkable.”
Hollandsworth praised the district’s teaching staff for their willingness to put in the time needed to make the new program a success. She also thanked the board for their support in that effort.
“It doesn’t matter how great the curriculum is if you can’t implement it,” Dr. Hollandsworth said. “Our teachers have worked hard and the board’s support of having those teachers able to meet before each unit…I don’t know if I’ve ever seen any school be this consistent in terms of everybody working together. We’re doing really well, I’m so proud and impressed with how hard the teachers are working.”
Some of the largest academic gains occurred at New Richmond Middle School. Sixth-grade students jumped from the second percentile last winter to the 87th this year.
In the seventh grade, student scores moved from the 53rd percentile to the 73rd.
Eighth grade students went from the first percentile last winter to the 94th percentile after this most recent round of testing.
Between the two elementary schools, half of the tested grades ended the second round of testing in the 87th percentile or better.
Kindergarten students at Locust Corner, second graders at Monroe and third-grade students at Monroe finished in the 99th percentile. Fifth-grade students Monroe tested in the 98th percentile.
“A school district would like to be around 50 percent,” Dr. Hollandsworth said. “Average growth, you’re growing as much as 50 percent of the other schools across the country.”
The district is currently in the process of adopting a new math curriculum. More details will be forthcoming once those plans are finalized.