Room for improvement in science, social studies test results - Chalkbeat Colorado

The results are in for Colorado's brand-new science and social studies tests, and they may give teachers and parents some pause.

Only about a third of fifth and eighth graders scored in the two highest levels on science tests, and 17 percent of fourth and seventh graders scored at those levels on social studies. The social studies tests are brand-new, and the science results are lower than those on last TCAP science tests in 2013 - which aren't comparable to the new tests.

The results are seen as a preview of how scoring likely will sort out after new language arts and math tests are given next spring in grades 3-11.

(See the chart below for a breakout of the statewide results, and search this Chalkbeat Colorado database for results by school and district.)

The science and social studies results were in line with what Department of Education officials had indicated to the State Board of Education in August, when the board signed off on cut scores for the tests ( see story).

Anticipating public concern and confusion about the results of new tests, CDE officials have been stressing for months that results of the science and social studies tests - and next year's tests - aren't comparable to what came before.

'These new standards did set higher expectations; they definitely are more challenging,' Joyce Zurkowski, CDE director of assessment, told reporters at a briefing prior to Monday's release of the results. 'The cut scores are more rigorous than we've had in the past.'

A CDE document is more detailed about why scores may not be what some people think they should be:

'Because the new standards reflect higher expectations, fewer students are meeting or exceeding expectations. Some students who previously met or exceeded standards now show the need for improvement. However, these new expectations do not mean that students know less than they did before or that they are less capable than they were in previous years. Instead, we are simply expecting more of students going forward to show their progress toward college and career-readiness.'

Everything about the tests is new

Statewide social studies tests were never given in Colorado before last spring, and the science tests are significantly different from past TCAP and CSAP science exams. Here's a breakdown of what's changed:

Academic standards - Standards are the broad descriptions of what students are supposed to know and do at various grade levels to be considered academically proficient. (Curriculum is the is bundle of lessons, readings, exercises and teachers talking that is used to teach the standards, and choice of curriculum is up to local districts.) The new standards adopted by the state in 2009 are intended to set a bar that ensures every student leaves high school ready for college or careers. - See a description of the science standards here and of the social studies standards here.

Who took tests 64,064 students took 4th grade social studies 62,719 7th graders 64,341 5th graders took science tests 61,459 8th graders Test trivia The two tests are unique to Colorado, while next year's PARCC tests are multistate and based on Common Core All four sets of tests are produced by Pearson Science tests are required by NCLB, but social studies in only a Colorado requirement

Test content - These aren't your old multiple-choice 'select-the-capital-of-Vermont' tests. There are multiple-choice items, but students also are asked to do things like read passages of text and interpret them.

Taking the tests - The social studies and science tests were given online last spring, as language arts and math tests will be given next spring. (There will be paper-and-pencil options for districts.) So students have to move screen to screen, check answers by clicking on them, type text into boxes and move objects around on the screen. - Use the links on this page to view and take sample tests.

Scoring the tests - The 'cut scores' used to classify students at different levels of proficiency of course are brand-new for social studies and different than they were for the old science tests.

Sorting out the kids - Remember 'advanced,' 'proficient,' 'partially proficient' and 'unsatisfactory'? Those were the categories used to classify student results on CSAP and TCAP, with the combined percentage of students scoring proficient and advanced used as a key marker of school and district performance. Those labels are gone. In their place are 'distinguished command,' 'strong command,' 'moderate command' and 'limited command.' - Learn what those descriptions mean for fifth-grade science, eighth grade, fourth-grade social studies and seventh grade.

The results

In science, 33 percent of fifth graders were in the top two categories, compared to 32 percent of eighth graders. The percentages in the moderate and limited command categories were very comparable in the two grades.

(Results of the 2013 TCAP science tests showed 48 percent of fifth graders were proficient or advanced and 52 percent of eight graders.)

'We were not surprised at what we saw in the science scores,' based on the experience of other states that have changed tests, Zurkowski said.

In both fourth and seventh grade social studies, 17 percent of students scored as strong or distinguished. Only 2 percent of fourth graders were distinguished, compared to 4 percent of seventh graders. But only 32 percent of the elementary students scored at limited command, compared to 45 percent of seventh graders.

Zurkowski said CDE really didn't have an expectation about social studies because such tests aren't required in most other states.

Parents will receive individual reports for students that will also break out how students did on individual parts of the tests, such as physical science, life science and other categories on that test.

Scores show familiar patterns

Scores on the two tests showed achievement gaps based on income and ethnicity that echo those recorded for several years on CSAP and TCAP tests.

Asian students did the best in social studies, with 28 percent of fourth graders in the top two categories and 34 percent of seventh graders. The percentages for white students were 24 and 22. The percentages of Hispanics students scoring distinguished or strong were 6 percent in both grades. For blacks they were 7 percent in the fourth grade and 6 percent in seventh.

In science, 44 percent of Asian fifth graders scored distinguished or strong, compared to 47 percent of eighth graders. The percentages for whites were 44 and 47, for Hispanics 15 and 16 and for blacks 13 and 14.

'There is not an increase in the gaps.' Zurkowski said, adding, 'It does appear that our females have caught up with our male students in science.'

Girls did between 2 and 5 percentage points better in distinguished and strong in social studies and 1 point better at both grade levels of science.

Lessons for districts & schools

'Schools and districts are going to have to do a little self-examination' in light of the results, Zurkowski said.

'We are encouraging schools and districts to examine what their social studies programming looks like. ...Perhaps social studies has not been focus' in the past, when it wasn't tested statewide,' she said.

This year's test results won't be counted as part of district and school accreditation ratings - only whether districts met the 95 percent student participation requirement.

High school seniors will take the two tests next month, with the results available sometime next spring. It will be the first time that 12th graders have had to take statewide exams.

Entities 0 Name: Colorado Count: 5 1 Name: CDE Count: 4 2 Name: Zurkowski Count: 4 3 Name: TCAP Count: 3 4 Name: CSAP Count: 3 5 Name: NCLB Count: 1 6 Name: PARCC Count: 1 7 Name: State Board of Education Count: 1 8 Name: Hispanics Count: 1 9 Name: Pearson Science Count: 1 10 Name: Joyce Zurkowski Count: 1 11 Name: Department of Education Count: 1 12 Name: Asian 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.