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April 27, 2000
Results of reading,math tests releasedAverage scoresimprove in stateBy GUY PRIEL Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- School districts throughout the region Wednesday learned the results of eighth-grade reading and mathematic tests taken in February, and many districts improved over last year in reading scores. The state average of students passing was 80 percent for reading and 71 percent for math. This shows an increase from an average of 75 percent in reading and an average of 70 percent for math in the 1998-1999 school year, according the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. For private schools, the state average was 92 percent for reading and 83 percent for math. In District 88, 230 students were tested on both portions of the test, scoring slightly above the state average. In reading, New Ulm scored 82 percent, with an average of 34 out of 40 questions answered correctly. This was the same for 1998-1999. In math, New Ulm scored 81 percent, with an average of 55 out of 68 questions answered correctly. This is down by one from last year. "In looking at the scores, I can say that we are pleased to see that we are making improvements every year," District 88 Director of Curriculum Bill Sprung said. "We believe teachers are doing a nice job of making sure students are well-prepared for the tests." Historically, there has been a dramatic increase in overall scores in the district for the past few years, and math has increased by as much as 15 percent over what it was two years ago. "The teachers are not teaching differently. They are changing the order in which things were traditionally taught, which has helped the scores some," Sprung said. "You can't ignore the tests, obviously, but you can't teach toward them either." The district uses the test results to help determine ways to rearrange the content and look at the sub areas to determine where the strengths and weaknesses are, Sprung said. "We will be using this year's results to look at the curriculum from (grade) eight on down," Sprung said. "We are seeing an emphasis on better scores. We see things from the perspective of a long-range plan, rather than patching things each year." In New Ulm Area Catholic Schools, 48 students were tested, with a score of 94 percent for reading and 92 percent for math. "Fortunately, we have done well over the time we have been giving these tests," Principal Sharon Waldoch said. "I was pleasantly surprised with the results when I saw them today. It is a normal mix of students working hard to reach their goals." Students are taught reading through the eighth grade in a 40-minute segment that is separate from language arts, and students are not ability-grouped at NUACS. "We challenge our students to move ahead with literature, and we also get a lot of parental support for our programs," Waldoch said. "We also have a strong academic attitude. Students should be proud of our scores, because they put forth their best effort." Nicollet Schools scored higher than any other school in the area, with 14 students testing in reading, for a score of 93 percent; and 15 testing in math, for a score of 100 percent. "We increased last year, and expected the same again this year," Superintendent John Hornung said. "We focus on math basics all through the curriculum." The next goal of the Nicollet district is to improve the reading levels of all students. Purchase of a new reading series for the elementary school is under consideration. At St. John's Lutheran School in Redwood Falls, which scored highest among private schools in the region, the scores matched Nicollet, with 14 students tested. "One of our key components is an everyday math program that helps bring math into real-life situations for the students," Principal Russ Wilke said. "That helps make math more practical and helps students understand it better." The school also does an accelerated math and a transition match program that helps keeps students challenged. The reading program is subsidized with strong phonics in the lower grades and a literature-based program at the middle levels, Wilke said. "We have a dedicated staff who help students with specific areas of weakness," he said. "We give no practice tests and don't teach students to take the tests. The teachers never even see the tests. They are taken cold turkey, you might say."
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