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LINDA CARGILL
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
| OAKS Test Results for Mid-county High Schools: Reynolds High School: 2013 Reading: 83 percent Math: 66 Writing: 43 Science: 58 2012 Reading: 81 percent Math: 62 Writing: 45 Science: 58 Parkrose High School: 2013 Reading: 82 percent Math: 64 Writing: 53 Science: 52 2012 Reading: 76 percent Math: 56 Writing: 42 Science: 44 David Douglas High School: 2013 Reading: 78 percent Math: 61 Writing: 51 Science: 53 2012 Reading: 81 percent Math: 64 Writing: 67 Science: 54 |
The low score triggered Reynolds High School principal Susan McKinney to push for more computer literacy at her school, besides pumping up writing skills. “Writing is going to be our main focus,” McKinney said.
The Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, (OAKS) tests measure students' skills in four areas: math, science, reading and writing.
This year, Reynolds beefed up writing instruction by winning grants from Lewis and Clark College and The Oregon Writing Project to train teachers. They plan to expand OWP's help in the coming year with a new grant. For the past two summers, Reynolds teachers have attended writing camps, creating lessons plans together.
McKinney chalked up Reynolds' high marks in math, reading and science partly to a lack of teacher cuts last year. Reynolds added 2.67 teachers last summer, reducing class sizes for the 2013-14 school year.
She also credits the school's Late Start Wednesday program, which lets teachers plan lessons together. Last fall, teachers learned the best way to give tests.
The school hired Patrick Twitchell as testing coordinator for the school, and Twitchell helped make taking a test almost fun.
“They come down with their teachers,” he said. “They should be greeted. It should be something that's a celebration of their skills. Underneath it, all is a high stakes test. We get better results that way.”
The school rebuilt the library, adding thousands of books, and new technology, such as iPads, desktop computers and mobile laptop Mac labs.
Reynolds hired special education teachers specialized in five subject areas, improved attendance by creating an attendance committee to meet with parents and students, decreased detentions, increased the graduation rate, and launched an in-school suspension room instead of sending students home.
“We are working toward getting at the root of the problem instead of just kicking kids out of school,” McKinney said.
After-school homework help and a summer school program also boosted scores.
High schoolers in all four grade levels enrolled in the Advanced Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, a tool that helps students prepare for college by teaching organizational skills in several areas.
Oregon received a waiver from the No Child Left Behind national standards by agreeing to an “achievement compact” instead, which sets goals for percentage of students attending classes, receiving credits and graduating.
“I think we will be in line with our compact,” McKinney said.
David Douglas High School scored 51 percent in the writing exam-lower than last year's score of 67.
“It's pretty disappointing,” said John Bier, David Douglas principal. “Nobody took this harder than our language arts staff, which has worked hard on this. We had a goal set of 70 percent so it was really shocking that this occurred.”
One reason might be that the school allowed students to offer two “work samples” of writing-that they can use instead of their OAKS test scores-to meet graduation requirements, Bier said. That easier option might lead some students to attach less importance to the test, even though they are required to take it.
Attempting to bring up test scores in the future, the school will still allow work samples “but we're not necessarily going to use them for the essential skills toward graduation,” Bier said. “We're backing off from that.”
Major teacher cuts might have chipped away at test scores, too. During the past three years, the school has cut 35 teaching jobs. That left class sizes in the upper 30s and low 40s. “You need to have personal contact with kids every day so they know you're there for them and supporting them,” Bier said. “If that gets reduced, at what point is there a breaking point?”
This year the school asked most of the 1,000 students taking the test-including some 12th graders who didn't pass their junior year-to use the paper and pencil version, since the school has slightly over 40 computers. Next year they will buy more computers so students can take the test online. One challenge will be getting everyone up to speed on computers, Bier said.
Another will be shifting students from the OAKS test to the new Smarter Balanced test-part of the Common Core standards adopted by the State of Oregon for the coming year. That Smarter test will require solving complex story problems and the use of multiple skills.
So far, the school is on track, meeting the state's “achievement compact” goals. “I feel pretty lucky that teachers are hanging in there and so are the kids and doing the best they can,” Bier said. “I wish it was an easy fix.”
Parkrose High School's scores were up in all four subject areas.
“Parkrose is very proud of our scores going up so much,” said Karen Fischer Gray, Parkrose High School Superintendent. “Each year they are getting better for all students.” The AVID curriculum and its WICOR (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading) method are the focal points of the school's efforts. Other aspects of the AVID program include an informational writing focus called Cornell Notes, “culturally responsive teaching strategies,” and exploration of equity issues.
Freshman leadership classes also contributed to higher test scores. In addition, Parkrose Middle School is one of a handful of National AVID Demonstration sites. The same AVID strategies are used in all the district's elementary schools.
“They are changing our scores,” Gray said. “It's making a huge difference.”
Better ways to evaluate teachers also help. Administrators will give each teacher “specific feedback related to student growth goals,” according to Michael Lopes, Parkrose School District's Improvement Director.
The graduation rate is just under 70 percent, up 11 percent from two years ago, Lopes said, and above the state average.
To view school scores throughout the state, visit www.ode.state.or.us/news/announcements.
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