Wednesday, August 22, 2001
|
Wednesday, August 22, 2001 |
|
Fayette students above state average on Stanford 9 Results of the Stanford 9 norm-referenced test show that Fayette students are performing well above state averages in all curriculum areas. In reading, language arts, mathematics, science and social studies for grades three, five and eight, Fayette's students outperformed the state's averages by 19 to 28 percentage points in the test, which was administered to Georgia's public schools students for the first time during the 2000-2001 school year. For example, in eighth-grade mathematics, Fayette's score was 70 percent, indicating that the county's students scored better than 70 percent of students nationwide in the same grade level whom took the test at the same time. In comparison, the state scored 42 percent, a difference of 28 points. Assistant superintendent of curriculum Stuart Bennett said the scores reflect the hard work of both teachers and students. "Overall we had a strong showing. Our trend in the last several years has been that we have scored well above the national norm on standardized testing," said Bennett. "While we scored well overall, the test has helped us to identify some areas where we need to improve. We are in the process of putting plans together for individual schools and grade levels that hopefully will help raise scores next year." Since this was the first year that the Stanford 9 was administered to Fayette's students, there are no past scores to compare student performance. Prior to the Stanford 9, students were taking the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills). Because the norm group for the Stanford 9 is newer than the last ITBS administered, and due to the fact that there are some differences in content between the two tests, direct comparison between the two cannot be made. The testing company that administers the Stanford 9 has completed a study equating the Stanford 9 test scores to the 2000 ITBS. At the time of this report, the Fayette County School System had not received the comparison chart.
|
||