Cynthia J. O’Hora
SASD - AYP report card
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Education Policy Information Clearinghouse
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Cynthia J. O'Hora
100 Stetler Ave,
Shamokin Dam, PA 17870
I have not linked this info to avoid spamming.
Standardized testing - our students CAN do it.
I believe in standardized testing as one effective measure of the quality of the education being provided in the district. Our district should work to be in the top third of schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Ideally, our goal should be to achieve Blue Ribbon Schools status.
Why do I care so much about this?
When you hire someone to work on your home, you hire the most skilled person you can afford. Employers do the same thing.
Our children will be graduating into a very challenging world. They will be competing against workers from all over the world. Employers will choose the best prepared workers. I want that to be our children. I believe the vast majority of our children can succeed in meeting these expectations set by NCLB and the PDE. In the Upper St Clair School District, 98% of 3rd graders scored proficient or advanced in Math in 2005.
I believe many people exploit the limited math skills of the common person. They bombard us with many meaningless numbers in the hopes that we won't see the figures that really matter. They use these numbers to generate false facts. By being more math fluent, we can take back our financial futures.
Many Pennsylvania schools, as well as, schools nationally ARE achieving major improvements in their students' scores. Nearly, one third of all Pennsylvania school third grades scored 90% or higher as proficient and advanced in Math in 2005. SASD fell far short of that success. We must strive to be in the upper third of schools. We must not accept average or mediocre results.
Speech at May 1, 2006 School Board Meeting / 3rd grade scores / 5th grade scores / 8/11 grades scores
Platform
In 1999, Pennsylvania adopted academic standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and Mathematics. Science standards were approved on January 5, 2002. The curriculum should be aligned to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards in a more timely fashion. This allows SASD students to have the best opportunity to succeed on the PSSAs.
Selinsgrove Area School District Report Cards: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, Special Education Report, 2008, 2009
Pennsylvania State Standards Assessment - PDE reporting site
AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress. This is the benchmark set by the Federal government's No Child Left Behind Act
SASD Math PSSA scores 2001-2005
AYP benchmark for Math 2001-2004 (AYP was 35%) in 2005 AYP increased to 45%
In 2008 - 2010 AYP for Math will be 56%
SASD 3rd grade PSSA Math scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2005 - 79% - State 80% (AYP - 45%) this is the first year 3rd graders were tested.
SASD is ranked 10th in the 12 school IU 16 in 3rd grade math scores. Top is Lewisburg with 94%
28% (140 of the 501 school districts) of the 3rd grades in PA achieved 90% or better of their students scoring proficient and advanced. In the Upper St. Clair School District, 98% of 3rd graders scored proficient or advanced.
SASD 5th grade PSSA Math scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
| 2001 - 50.2% | 2003 - 54% State 56.3% | 2005 - 56% State 69% |
| 2002 - 52.3% | 2004 - 64.1% State 61.8% |
2005 SASD is ranked 12th in the 12 school IU 16 in 5th grade math. Top is Mifflinburg with 85.5%
29% (146 of the 501 school districts) of the 5th grades in PA achieved 80% or better of their students scoring proficient and advanced.
In South Fayette School District, 97% of 5th graders scored proficient or advanced.
SASD 8th grade PSSA Math scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
| 2001 - 46.5% (AYP - 35%) | 2003 - 48.4%, State 51.3% | 2005 - 68%, State 63% |
| 2002 - 51.6% (AYP - 35%) | 2004 - 53.8%, State 58% |
SASD is ranked 4th in the 12 school IU 16 in 8th grade math. WELL DONE 8th grade!
Top local scorer in IU 16 is Lewisburg 79.8%
In the Upper St. Clair School District, 92.% of 8th graders scored proficient or advanced.
SASD 11th grade PSSA Reading scores percentage
of students scoring proficient or better
Reading 2001-2004 (AYP - 45%) in
2005 (AYP - 54%) in 2008 - 2010 will be - 63%
SASD is ranked 5th in the 12 school IU 16 in 11th grade reading.
| 2001 - 61.1% | 2003 - 56.6%, State 59.2% | 2005 - 72.7%, State 65% |
| 2002 - 63% State Avg 59% | 2004 - 64%, State 60.8% |
Well done 11th grade for improving the reading and writing scores.
SASD 11th grade PSSA Writing scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
| 2001 - n/a | 2003 - 62.4% | 2005 - 67.8% |
| 2002 - 65.7% | 2004 - 76.9% |
SASD 11th grade PSSA Math scores percentage
of students scoring proficient or better
2001-2004 (AYP - 35%) in 2005 (AYP
- 45%) in 2008 - 2010 will be 56%
SASD is ranked 6th in the 12 school IU 16 in 11th grade math. Lewisburg is top with 67.1%
Tredyffrin-Easton was the state's top scorer with 88.8 % of their 11th graders scoring proficient or better.
| 2001 - 48.8% | 2003 - 41.4% State Avg 49.1% | 2005 - 48.9% State Avg 51% |
| 2002 - 49.4% | 2004 - 47.1% State Avg 49.1% |
I have talked with the administration at length expressing my concern about the poor math scores of our graduates. One explanation offered to me was a lack of motivation on the students' part. Initially, I supported a positive approach that rewarded those who passed the PSSAs. I still support rewarding success, but I also believe we must focus students on their success in core academics.
A priority should be given to supplying intensive supports for students struggling in the core academics. The district has begun to do this.
- A math coach has been hired to assist struggling high school students. (Funding - Accountability Block Grant)
- HS students who are not proficient are required to take a math remediation course.
- The English and math curriculums at the HS are being revised.
- Remediation classes are now provided at the MS.
- The K-5 math curriculum has been aligned to the standards as of the 2005-2006 academic year.
- A new, standards based, K-5 reading program was implemented in August 2005. The cost of this program $138,887 has been paid for out of the 2004-2005 Budget surplus of $550,000.
Passing to Participate - I believe students should be accountable for their studies and their behavior. A score of proficient or advanced on the PSSAs should be expected in reading, math, writing and science. Those students with IEPs (individual education plans) will have expectations adjusted to their abilities.
SASD's current policies regarding participation in extracurricular and athletics permits students who are failing 2 core academic classes to continue to participate. This must be changed.
"The significant problems we face
cannot be solved at the same level of thinking
we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein
updated 5/3/06