2006 Grade 3-8 English

1

2006 Grade 3-8 English

2

The Bottom Line• This is the first year in which students took State

tests in Grades 3,4,5,6,7, and 8.• With the new individual student data system –

announced earlier this month – schools will soon be able to track students throughout the grades and get a comparison of learning from year to year.

• Schools will also see the relative performance of students in any year across the grade levels.

• Statewide, we can see that the substantial decline in student performance in reading and writing begins after Grade 5.

3

The Bottom Line

• We can also see the average performance of all students in Grade 3-8 throughout a district. Example: Despite progress in recent years, in Urban High Need Districts, about half are achieving all the standards. In Average Need Districts, about 70 percent are. In Low Need Districts, over 80 percent are.

• We can also continue to see how students in Grade 4 and 8 are performing relative to previous years. There is very little change in the percentage meeting all the standards (Level 3 and 4).

4

The Bottom Line• New York is #2 and #3 among all the

states since 1998 in helping Hispanics and African-American children to improve in reading – according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Education Trust.

• But achievement declines in middle school.

5

2006 Grade 3-8 English For the first time, we can see that the substantial decline in student achievement begins after the 5th grade. This shows the percentage of students meeting all the standards. Schools, teachers, and parents can now see how students performed at each grade.

69.0

%

68.6

%

67.1

%

60.4

%

56.4

%

49.3

% 61.5

%

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grades 3-8

Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

Number TestedGrade 3 = 185,603Grade 4 = 190,951Grade 5 = 201,262Grade 6 = 204,249Grade 7 = 210,735Grade 8 = 212,320

6

2006 Grade 3-8 English The percentage of students with serious academic difficulties (Level 1) does not change significantly at each grade.

8.6%

9.0%

6.4% 7.3% 8.1% 9.5%

8.1%


Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1

7

Testing Changes• New York State’s English standards have not changed.• But this is the first year of testing in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. • From 1999-2005, New York had tests given only in Grade 4 and 8.

The standards are divided into Grade bands (Grade 2-4, for example). Therefore, the Grade 4 test in those years had some content that was somewhat simpler, more similar to lower grades. Some of that simpler content now appears on the Grade 3 test.

• Therefore, the 2006 Grade 4 test is not equated to previous years’ tests in difficulty.

• Statistical analysis indicates the 2006 Grade 4 test is therefore slightly more difficult than the previous year’s test and the tests given in prior years.

• Similarly, for the Grade 8 test, some simpler content now appears on the Grade 7 test.

8

Grade 4 English Statewide a slightly smaller percentage of students met all the standards (Level 3 or 4) on this year’s test than on the 2005 test.

48.0

% 58.7

%

60.0

%

61.5

%

64.3

%

62.2

% 70.4

%

68.6

%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006


9

Grade 8 English The percentage of students meeting all the standards on this year’s test was very slightly higher than on the 2005 test.

48.1

%

44.9

%

44.9

%

44.3

%

45.3

%

47.2

%

48.1

%

49.3

%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

The percentage of students scoring at

Levels 3 and 4

10

Results byNeed/Resource Category

11

61.5

%

45.7

%

61.4

%

65.3

% 74.7

% 85.5

%

58.9

%

49.2

% 61.7

%

62.5

% 75.3

% 87.0

%

56.7

%

43.7

%

58.8

%

63.5

% 74.9

% 87.1

%

36.6

%

24.2

%

44.7

%

57.9

%

48.6

%

37.4

%

51.2

%

56.0

% 68.8

%

82.8

%

44.2

%

29.5

%

44.7

% 51.3

%

65.8

%

80.3

%

38.3

%

74.7

%

New York City Large City Urban-Suburban Rural Average Low

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8


2006 Grade 3-8 EnglishIn each Need/Resource Category, the variation across Grades 3 through 5 was small; the decline from Grades 6 through 8 was larger. The pattern of increases or decreases varied by N/RC category.

12

11.9

% 18.8

%

11.1

%

9.5%

5.7%

2.6%

11.8

% 19.8

%

12.4

%

11.2

%

6.3%

2.7%8.

9%

16.2

%

8.5%

7.2%

4.1%

1.4%

14.1

% 22.0

%

9.9%

5.4%10

.1%

16.1

%

10.4

%

8.3%

4.8%

1.9%

11.4

% 19.5

%

11.3

%

9.2%

4.8%

1.9%

12.9

%

2.3%




2006 Grade 3-8 EnglishIn every N/RC category, fewer students scored at Level 1 in Grade 5 than any other grade.

13

50.7

%

37.3

%

52.4

%

56.7

% 69.2

%

82.9

%

61.5

%

New York City Large City Urban-Suburban Rural Average Low Total Public


2006 Grade 3-8 EnglishFor the first time we can see the average performance of all students across Grade 3-8. This shows the percentage of students meeting all the standards (Level 3 and 4) in Grade 3-8. The variations among need/resource categories are substantial. Students in Low Need Districts were twice as likely as those in the Big 4 to meet all the standards.

14

11.4

% 18.8

%

11.1

%

9.2%

5.2%

2.1% 8.

1%

New York City Large City Urban-Suburban Rural Average Low Total Public


2006 Grade 3-8 EnglishMore students in the Big 4 show serious academic problems overall in Grade 3-8 than in other kinds of districts.

15

Grade 4 English The percentage of students meeting all the standards in 2006 decreased in each category compared with 2005. The decrease was smallest in New York City and Low Need Districts.

32.8

%

28.6

% 39.2

% 49.3

% 59.3

%

72.4

%

38.2

%

60.1

% 70.5

%

83.9

%

52.5

%

44.3

%

60.3

%

85.1

%

49.6

%

43.5

%

58.0

%

59.1

%

71.3

%

83.8

%

59.5

%

54.2

%

66.6

%

67.1

% 77.5

% 88.1

%

58.9

%

49.2

%

61.7

%

62.5

%

75.3

%

87.0

%

53.3

%

41.7

%

60.4

%

85.8

%

71.1

%

56.8

%

40.7

%

43.9

%

60.0

%

86.0

%

71.9

%

57.2

%

42.2

%

46.5

%

72.8

%

61.2

%

NewYork City Large City Urban-Suburban Rural Average Low

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006


16

Grade 8 English In New York City, the percentage of eighth-graders meeting all the standards increased on the new test. Since 1999, however, there has been little change overall. In the other categories, there was little change this year compared with the 2005 test.

35.3

%

28.8

% 37.1

% 45.8

% 55.8

%

69.2

%

32.5

%

24.3

% 33.5

% 41.8

% 52.4

%

67.5

%

33.1

%

24.3

% 34.5

% 41.0

% 51.8

%

68.6

%

29.5

%

19.3

%

33.5

% 43.2

% 53.3

%

70.5

%

32.6

%

22.5

%

36.7

%

41.0

% 53.1

%

69.6

%

23.3

%

37.3

%

42.9

% 54.8

%

71.1

%

32.8

%

23.5

%

38.9

% 45.3

% 58.1

%

75.2

%

36.6

%

24.2

%

38.3

% 44.7

%

57.9

%

74.7

%

35.6

%


1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

The percentage of students scoring at

Levels 3 and 4

17

Results for the Big 5 Cities

18

50.7

%

30.1

% 38.4

%

34.0

%

51.1

% 61.5

%

New York City Buffalo Rochester Syracuse Yonkers Total Public


2006 Grade 3-8 English For the first time we can see the average performance of all students across Grade 3-8. This shows substantial differences in the percentage of students meeting all the standards (Level 3 and 4) in Grade 3-8 in the Big 5 Cities.

19

11.4

% 23.6

%

16.3

%

21.8

%

11.6

%

8.1%

New York City Buffalo Rochester Syracuse Yonkers Total Public


2006 Grade 3-8 English For the first time we can see the average performance of all students across Grade 3-8. This shows substantial differences in the percentage of students with serious academic difficulties (Level 1) in Grade 3-8 in the Big 5 Cities.

20

61.5

%

37.3

% 47.4

%

41.3

%

60.3

%

58.9

%

37.7

% 50.1

%

43.4

%

70.9

%

56.7

%

34.8

%

42.0

%

37.3

%

64.9

%

48.6

%

31.0

% 41.2

%

33.1

% 45.0

%

44.2

%

26.7

%

28.3

%

28.3

%

37.2

%

36.6

%

20.9

%

26.3

%

21.3

% 31.8

%

New York City Buffalo Rochester Syracuse Yonkers


2006 Grade 3-8 English Performance among the Big 5 varied significantly. This shows the percentage of students reaching all the standards, with the highest scores in the early grades. Achievement in the middle grades was low.


21

11.9

% 24.7

%

15.7

%

22.8

%

10.6

%

11.8

% 26.9

%

17.8

%

22.5

%

9.2%

8.9%

22.1

%

14.1

%

20.5

%

6.9%10

.1% 21

.1%

12.4

%

18.1

%

12.2

%

11.4

% 23.5

%

18.2

%

20.7

%

13.9

%

14.1

% 23.6

%

19.8

%

26.5

%

16.8

%



2006 Grade 3-8 English The percentage of students with serious academic difficulties varied among the Big 5. New York City and Yonkers had the fewest students at Level 1.

Percentage of Students at Level 1

22

32.7

%

29.1

%

24.4

% 30.8

%

33.6

%41.7

%

32.5

%

37.5

%

38.3

%

52.6

%

43.9

%

35.7

%

41.9

%

37.8

%

52.7

%

46.5

%

33.9

% 46.4

%

36.1

%

59.5

%

52.5

%

33.9

% 42.9

%

48.5

%

63.6

%

49.6

%

34.3

% 42.4

%

38.8

%

65.0

%

59.5

%

39.2

%

57.3

%

50.8

%

76.4

%

58.9

%

37.7

%

50.1

%

43.4

%

70.9

%


1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Grade 4 English The percentage of students meeting all the standards decreased especially in Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers, compared with the previous year. However, performance remained higher than for earlier years in Rochester and Yonkers.


23

35.3

%

31.3

%

23.8

% 30.4

%

29.0

%

32.5

%

22.6

%

26.6

%

21.3

% 27.6

%33.1

%

23.3

%

25.1

%

22.5

% 27.8

%

29.5

%

19.8

%

18.3

%

18.5

%

21.7

%

32.6

%

22.0

%

17.7

% 23.8

% 29.6

%35.6

%

25.9

%

18.5

%

21.3

% 28.0

%32.8

%

26.0

%

17.6

%

22.3

% 29.6

%36.6

%

20.9

% 26.3

%

21.3

%

31.8

%


1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Grade 8 English More eighth-graders in New York City, Rochester, and Yonkers met the Standards than on the 2005 assessment.


24

What Must We Do Now?

25

• Review requirements for teacher preparation. Ensure new teachers – especially in elementary and middle school – know how to teach reading.

• Give current teachers adequate professional development on how to teach reading.

• Ensure scientifically based reading strategies are available and used in low performing schools.

What Must We Do Now?The Regents are considering new actions:

26

What Must We Do Now?

• Provide more intensive classes for underserved students to ensure they learn how to read. All students should read 25 books a year and write 1,000 words a month.

• These results show funding is a key issue. Remember – Students in Low Need Districts are twice as likely as those in the Big 4 Cities to meet all the standards. The State must provide more funds to the neediest children.

27

The Bottom Line• This is the first year in which students took State

tests in Grades 3,4,5,6,7, and 8.• With the new individual student data system –

announced earlier this month – schools will soon be able to track students throughout the grades and get a comparison of learning from year to year.

• Schools will also see the relative performance of students in any year across the grade levels.

• Statewide, we can see that the substantial decline in student performance in reading and writing begins after Grade 5.

28

The Bottom Line

• We can also see the average performance of all students in Grade 3-8 throughout a district. Example: Despite progress in recent years, in Urban High Need Districts overall, about half are achieving all the standards. In Average Need Districts, about 70 percent are. In Low Need Districts, over 80 percent are.

• We can also continue to see how students in Grade 4 and 8 are performing relative to previous years. There is very little change in the percentage meeting all the standards (Level 3 and 4).

29

The Bottom Line• New York is #2 and #3 among all the

states since 1998 in helping Hispanics and African-American children to improve in reading – according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Education Trust.

• But achievement declines in middle school.

30

2006 Grade 3-8 English For the first time, we can see that the substantial decline in student achievement begins after the 5th grade. This shows the percentage of students meeting all the standards. Schools, teachers, and parents can now see how students performed at each grade.

69.0

%

68.6

%

67.1

%

60.4

%

56.4

%

49.3

% 61.5

%



Number TestedGrade 3 = 185,603Grade 4 = 190,951Grade 5 = 201,262Grade 6 = 204,249Grade 7 = 210,735Grade 8 = 212,320

Documents

2006 Grade 3-8 English