Colorado students score poorly on new social studies, science tests - The Denver Post

Posted: 10/27/2014 11:59:27 AM MDT

Updated: 10/27/2014 12:02:29 PM MDT

Colorado students scored dismally on new statewide science and social studies test scores released Monday.

Just 17 percent of Colorado fourth- and seventh-graders scored 'strong and distinguished' in the state's first-ever social studies tests.

In science, 34 percent of fifth-graders and 32 percent of eighth-graders hit that mark, meant to be a measure of readiness for college and careers.

'These new expectations and these scores are not an indication our students know less than they used to know,' said Joyce Zurkowski, executive director of assessment for the Colorado Department of Education. 'It is instead a reflection of the increased expectations of our students.'

Zurkowski said the science results cannot be compared to previous science tests on the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program, or TCAP, and its predecessor, CSAP. Those tests used different benchmarks and weren't aligned to state-adopted standards.

Perennially high-performing charter schools and district-run schools in more affluent areas scored highest on the new tests.

Districts in rural areas and close-in Denver suburbs posted the lowest scores. On average, just 6 percent of students in Commerce City-based Adams County School District 14 scored strong or distinguished on the four tests.

Mapleton Public Schools, Sheridan School District, Englewood Schools, Adams County School District 50 in Westminster and Aurora Public Schools also struggled.

Denver Public Schools outperformed those districts but fell well short of the state average.

Eleven percent of DPS fourth-graders and 12 percent of seventh-graders scored strong or distinguished in social studies. Twenty percent of fifth-graders and 22 percent of eight-graders did so in science.

'The results are not where we want them to be long term,' said Alyssa Whitehead-Bust, DPS' chief academic and innovation officer, adding they were not a surprise. 'We obviously feel we have the opportunity to really grow and ensure deeper levels of command for students.'

The story will be updated later with more information.

Eric Gorski: 303-954-1971, egorski@denverpost.com or twitter.com/egorski Entities 0 Name: DPS Count: 2 1 Name: Colorado Count: 2 2 Name: TCAP Count: 1 3 Name: Sheridan School District Count: 1 4 Name: Englewood Count: 1 5 Name: Adams County School District Count: 1 6 Name: Colorado Department of Education Count: 1 7 Name: Alyssa Whitehead-Bust Count: 1 8 Name: Denver Count: 1 9 Name: Westminster Count: 1 10 Name: Zurkowski Count: 1 11 Name: Aurora Public Schools Count: 1 12 Name: Joyce Zurkowski Count: 1 13 Name: CSAP Count: 1 14 Name: Denver Public Schools Count: 1 15 Name: Transitional Colorado Assessment Program Count: 1 16 Name: Commerce City-based Adams County School District Count: 1 17 Name: Mapleton Public Schools Count: 1 18 Name: Eric Gorski Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/12E2xpp Title: Special report: Texas standardized tests in trouble; districts not showing gains Description: Click here for North Texas school testing results For Texas school districts high-achieving and low, affluent and not, urban and suburban, the lack of progress on STAAR is consistent. Three years of stagnant statewide average test scores were matched by flat results in the districts where most Texas students attend, according to an analysis by The Dallas Morning News.