Students exceed state test goals in many areas

By Danielle Strenke
North Branch students are achieving standards set for the Minnesota Basic Skills Tests in the majority of testing areas, Assistant Superintendent Rod Reisnouer reported to the North Branch Area School Board last Thursday.
Reisnouer presented to the board results from third-, fifth-, eighth-, tenth- and eleventh -grade tests.
He said overall the students did very well, and cited test results showing North Branch students exceeding the state averages in several testing areas, while performing only slightly below the state average in the rest of the tests.
At the third-grade level, students achieved the goal of 1420 as an average scale score in reading, surpassing it for an average of 1497. The state average was 1486.
In the math tests, third-graders were slightly below the state level with a score of 1483, compared to 1486 statewide. ìItís taking us a while to find out if itís significant,î Reisnouer said. ìBut itís a totally different group of kids taking it every year,î board member Kim Salo said.
Reisnouer said that not only are the tests taken by a different group of kids every year, but with enrollment increasing it means that the tests are taken by a larger number of students each year.
Reading scores for the fifth grade were at 1526, while the state was at 1552.
Reisnouer said federal law is specific that 100 percent of the students must pass these tests at or above grade level by 2013.
ìWhat happens if the kids canít achieve this,î Salo said.
Reisnouer said the federal government would have the option of taking away federal funding including special education money.
Because of the potential threat of lost federal dollars, and because individual states can set their own state standards, Reisnouer said some states have simply lowered the standards to insure that every student does pass.
ìTheyíve set the standards to set most schools in the country up to fail,î Superintendent Robert Stepaniak said.
Math scores for the fifth grade were above the state level, averaging 1511 versus the state average of 1503. ìThis tells us things are going well,î Reisnouer said. ìWe donít have to be concerned with being slightly above or below the state.î
Eighth-grade students performed well on both the reading and math tests, with 81 percent of students scoring at the accepted passing level or higher in reading, and 79 percent achieving the same goals in math.
Reisnouer said he was particularly pleased to see the eighth -grade results. ìWeíre above the state by 5 percent, thatís something to shout about. Weíre doing great in math.î
Students in eleventh grade were tested in math for the first time. Reisnouer said it is difficult to test at the high school level, because the kids know the test does not count toward graduation and it is not accepted as a college entrance test.
Reisnouer reviewed sample results of one of five mathematical areas that were tested, although state results are not yet known.
The district is required to administer reading and math tests once during the 2002-03 school year in each block of grades ñ third through fifth, sixth through ninth and tenth through twelfth.
By 2007, all school districts in the state will be required to test in science as well.
The board set a budget work session for Nov. 21, 7 p.m., with an additional meeting if needed set for Dec. 3 following the districtís truth in taxation meeting.

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