High School Scores Stagnate

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

There was not much good news in the 2010 Connecticut Academic Performance Test results.  According to analyses provided by Diane Filardo, Testing and Evaluation Specialist and Superintendent Susan Mark, the needle has not moved much on test results either over time or from last year to this year.  In this way, Norwalk mirrors the stagnant CAPT results across the state.

The State Department of Education released the results of the CAPT last Friday. All Connecticut grade 10 students are required to take this standardized test that measures math, science, reading and writing. The scores are measured as advanced, goal, proficient, basic and below basic.

There was backwards slide in Math.  Only 31 percent of student met “goal” compared with 37 percent last year and 32 percent in 2007.  There were modest gains in science and reading “proficiency”, but not at “goal”.  The one spot of encouraging news was in writing--51 percent of students of reached "goal" as compared to 40 percent last year.

Filardo says that some progress has been made in narrowing the achievement gap for African American and Hispanic students. In addition, Norwalk has a higher percentage of its minority students achieving proficiency and goal than their peers across the state.  Still, the gap remains significant in Norwalk and statewide.  For example, in reading, 58 percent of White students achieve "goal", whereas 19 percent of Norwalk's African-American students and 24 percent of Hispanic student achieve the same measure.

For Marks, the lackluster scores stress the importance of rigor and high expectations for all  students.  “We need to make sure all kids are being expected to achieve at a high level.”  says Marks.  "In my expericence, the gap has narrowed in places where this inclusion happens." Marks says this means a challenging curriculum and getting more students ready for Honors and Advanced Placement classes. “There should be no gatekeepers.  My goal is increase all students in those classes.”

The State, too, is planning to address the stagnant scores and increase the rigor of the high school curriculum over the next several years.  This past May, a legislation was passed that would increase the graduation requirements for high school.  In addition, Connecticut recently adopted national standards that would increase the amount of material to be taught in all grades K-12, but with a special emphasis on high school. 

Percent of students at/above “Goal”

                                Norwalk         State
Grade 10
Math 2007                      32            45
Math 2010                      31            49

Science 2007                 35            45
Science 2010                 34            46

Reading 2007                 36            46
Reading 2010                 37            46  

Writing 2007                    41            53
Writing 2010                    51            60