Cynthia J. O’Hora
Selinsgrove Area School District
Academic Standards & Standardized testing - our students CAN do it.
Reading
Put Reading First helping your Child Learn to Read.
Teaching Children to Read video
Teaching Reading is Rocket Science
Commission on College and Career Success Report
Dual Enrollment and AP Classes
SASD - AYP report card
Service:
Letters to the Editor:
Other resources:
Education Policy Information Clearinghouse
Contact:
Cynthia J. O'Hora
100 Stetler Ave,
Shamokin Dam, PA 17870
I have not linked this info to avoid spamming.
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.
In 1999, Pennsylvania adopted academic
standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and Mathematics.
Science standards were approved on January 5, 2002. The curriculum must
be aligned to the Pennsylvania
Academic Standards
in a timely fashion. This allows SASD students
to have the best opportunity to succeed on the PSSAs and to acquire the skills and knowledge they reflect.
What Does a Balanced Literacy (reading) Approach Mean? focusing on the child's skills & needs
What Education Schools Aren't Teaching About Reading--and What Elementary Teachers Aren't Learning
Selinsgrove Area School District Report Cards: 2002, 2003 , 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Pennsylvania State Standards Assessment - PDE reporting site
AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress. This is the goal or benchmark set by the Federal government's No Child Left Behind Act
SASD Reading PSSA scores 2001-2007, Mathematics scores 2007
AYP benchmark for Reading 2001-2004 (AYP was 45% of students successful ). In 2005 AYP increased to 54% successful.
In 2008 - 2010 AYP for Reading is 63%. 2011 - Reading AYP will be 72%. In 2012 - 81%. In 2014 - 100%.
SAIS 3rd grade PSSA Reading scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 78.5%, State Avg. 72.8%
23.9% of 3rd graders scored Advanced
SAIS 3rd graders ranked 7th in the 17 school districts in IU 16 for reading.
2006 - 66%, State Avg 69% Second year tested
2005 - 65%, State Avg 68% first year tested
SAIS 4th grade PSSA Reading scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 78.7%, State Avg. 70.1%
38.5% of SAIS 4th graders scored Advanced!
SAIS 4th graders ranked 5th in the 17 school districts in IU 16 for reading.
2006 - 65.3%, State Avg 68.1% First year 4th grade is tested
SAIS 5th grade PSSA Reading scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 75%, State Avg. 60% This is outstanding!
28.6% of SAIS 5th graders scored Advanced
SAIS 5th graders ranked 1st in the 17 school districts in IU 16 for reading.
2006 - 60.2% State Avg 60.6%
| 2001- 55.4% State Avg 56.1% | 2004 - 69.1% State Avg 62.7% | 2007 - 75% State Avg. 60% |
| 2002 - 60.3% State Avg 57% | 2005 - 59.2% State Avg 64.2% | |
| 2003 - 67% State Avg 58% | 2006 - 60.2% State Avg 60.6% |
SAIS 5th grade PSSA Writing scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 53.9% State Average 57.3%
2006 - 54% State Average 54%
SAMS 6th grade PSSA Reading scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 70.9%, State Avg. 63.5%
41% of SAMS 6th graders scored Advanced! Well done!
SAMS 6th graders ranked 4th in the 17 school districts in IU 16 for reading.
2006 - 71.8% State Avg 65.9% First year 6th grade is tested
SAMS 7th grade PSSA Reading scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 73.4%, State Avg. 66.8%
38.5% of SAMS 7th graders scored Advanced!
SAMS 7th graders ranked 7th in the 17 school districts in IU 16 for reading.
2006 - 80.2% State Avg 68.1% First year 7th grade is tested
SAMS 8th grade PSSA Reading scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 89.4%, State Avg. 75%
62.1% of SAMS 8th graders scored Advanced! This is exceptional!!!!
SAMS 8th graders ranked 2nd in the 17 school districts in IU 16 for reading.
2006 - 79.2% State Avg 70.6%
| 2001 - 66.1% State Avg 60.1% | 2004 - 76.3% State Avg 68.9% | 2007 - 89.4%, State Avg. 75% |
| 2002 - 68.9% State Avg 58.8% | 2005 - 68% State Avg 64.1% | |
| 2003 - 71.4% State Avg 63.4% | 2006 - 79.2% State Avg 70.6% |
SAMS 8th grade PSSA Writing scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
2007 - 91.3%, State Avg 71.8% Exceptional!
2006 - 85% State Avg 66%
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%
2007 - 68.6%, State Avg. 65.4%
35% of SAHS 11th graders scored Advanced!
SAHS 11th graders ranked 9th in the 17 school IU 16 in 11th grade reading.
2006 - 71.4% State Avg 65.1%
| 2001 - 61.1% State Avg 58.1% | 2004 - 64% State Avg 60.8% | 2007 - 68.6%, State Avg. 65.4% |
| 2002 - 63% State Avg 59% | 2005 - 72.7% State Avg 65% | |
| 2003 - 56.6% State Avg 59.2% | 2006 - 71.4% State Avg 65.1% |
2005 - SAHS is ranked 5th in the 12 school IU 16 in 11th grade reading.
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 | 2004 - 76.9% | 2007 - 89.8% State Avg 87.9% |
| 2002 - 65.7% | 2005 - 67.8% | |
| 2003 - 62.4% | 2006 - 90% State Avg 85% |
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 9/5/07