More Valley View School District students met or exceeded expectations than the state average on the math portion of the new PARCC tests, but fell below the average in English language arts, according to results released early this month.
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test replaced the previous Illinois Standards Achievement Test and Prairie State Achievement Exam. Students in grades 3-8 and some high school grades took the PARCC test in March.
Rachel Kinder, district assistant superintendent for educational services, reminded school board members at a recent meeting that this is the first year of PARCC scores.
“It is establishing a new baseline,” Kinder said. “We don’t have that prior year data to compare. This is a more rigorous assessment than what we’ve seen in previous state testing. It is more truly assigned to the expectations set at the college and career readiness level.”
PARCC results showed 35 percent of district students “met expectations” or “exceeded expectations” in English language arts, compared to 38 percent among all participating schools in the state. About 29 percent of students “approached expectations,” compared to 28 percent overall in the state while 35 percent partially meet expectations” or “did not yet meet expectations,” compared to 34 percent for the state.
For mathematics, PARCC data indicates that 29 percent of district students “exceeded expectations” or “met expectations,” compared to 28 percent among all participating schools in the state. A total of 34 percent of students in the district “approached expectations,” compared to 29 percent for the state while 37 percent “partially met expectations” or “did not meet expectations,” compared with 43 percent overall for the state.
The district’s five-year graduation rate is 87.8 percent, compared to the state’s 87.6 percent. The four-year graduation rate is 81.6 percent, compared to 85.3 percent for the state. For chronic truancy, 14.6 percent of students at the district fall into that category, compared to the state’s 8.7 percent.
“The five-year graduation rate is comparable with the state; it’s the four-year graduation rate where we fall short,” Kinder said. “That is something that is high on our radar, as well as our chronic truancy rate.”
More information about PARCC data for the district can be found at illinoisreportcard.com.
Joseph Ruzich is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.
[email protected] More Top Picks Best Gas Pole Saws
Twitter: @TribLocal