New Ulm

test results

steady

NEW ULM -- New Ulm public school eighth-graders in 2001 almost mirrored the performance of last year's class, with 85 percent passing a statewide reading test and 78 percent passing a math test.

These results compare to 82 percent passing the reading test last year, and 81 percent passing the math test.

The tests were given in February, and the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning released the scores Wednesday.

Statewide, 79 percent of this year's eighth-graders passed the reading test, and 72 percent passed the math test.

New Ulm's results are "substantially the same" as last year's, and "right in about where we'd like to be," said District 88 Curriculum Director Bill Sprung.

He stressed that one or two test questions can have a sizeable impact on the results, making it hard to read statistical significance into small percentage variation.

District 88 superintendent Harold Remme noted the district's "steady incremental gains" over the past four years, especially in reading.

In 1998, 73 percent of District 88 eighth-graders passed the reading test. The passing rate was 78 percent in 1999, 82 percent in 2000 and 85 percent in 2001.

"That's what we'd like to see," Remme said. 'We don't want to see spikes -- which could be a warning sign."

In 1998, 64 percent of the students passed the math test, which compares to 80 percent in 1999, 81 percent in 2000 and 78 in 2001.

The 3 percent drop in the passing rate this year does not necessarily raise a red flag, the officials said.

Among other things, it could be a function of when some tested areas are addressed in the curriculum, said Sprung.

'It's something to look at and see, are we capping out -- or is there something we can do in terms of curriculum instruction," said Sprung.

According to Remme, the math numbers might indicate "reaching a range" and stabilizing within it.

New Ulm eighth-graders this year averaged a score of 34 (out of 40) on the reading test and 56 (out of 68) on the math test. These were the same average scores as last year's. The average scores in 1999 were 33 and 56, and in 1998 they were 32 and 53.

The steady increase in score averages is a cause for optimism, according to District 88 officials.

So is a further breakdown of the scores.

"The percentage of students scoring in the upper ranges is increasing, and the percent of students scoring in the low ranges [of passing] is decreasing," said Remme.

The reading test was taken by 217 of the district's 220 eighth-graders, and the math test was taken by 215 of them.

In 2001, 91 percent of eighth-graders at New Ulm Catholic Schools (NUACS) passed the reading test and 92 percent passed the math test.

The average scores were 36 out 40 in reading and 58 out of 68 in math.

Although the tests are not mandatory for non-public schools, all 64 NUACS eight-graders took them.

Sister Sharon Waldoch, who is in charge of the curriculum, attributed the high passing rates to the consistently high expectations placed on students, the high degree of cooperation displayed by students and parents, and a "disciplined" program, rigorously focused on academics, from kindergarten through high school.

"These are professional students who know they are here to learn," she said.

Waldoch also commented that test results have shown a "steady, predictable line, a chad up or down, but no major spiking."

In 2000, 94 percent of NUACS eighth-graders passed the reading test, and 92 percent passed the math test. In 1999 the rates were 98 and 92 percent, and in 1998 they were 86 and 79 percent.

Waldoch noted that this variation is probably a result of class composition.

"Classes differ," she said. Despite a perception that private schools cater for "select" groups of students, "we do have a spread of ability, the whole range," she said.

In 2001, 83 percent of eight-graders at St. Paul's Lutheran passed the reading test and 81 percent passed the math test, with average scores of respectively 35 out of 40 and 58 out of 68.

This compared to respectively 76 and 72 percent passing in 2000, and 78 and 63 percent passing in 1999 (1998 figures were unavailable).

Forty-seven students took the tests.

Principal Dale Markgraf was pleased that results are getting better.

"Obviously, there is more room for improvement," he said.

"We've examined our curriculum to make sure it's matched up to what's expected -- and basically, it is. It's just a question of emphasis ,... being more aware of the [tested] concepts..."

The tests are a measure of expected outcomes at graduation and students who fail have several more chances to take them.