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Ridgefield Public Schools 2014 Testing Report
Part 1: CMT and CAPT Science Testing Results
Part 2: SAT/ACT/AP Testing - Postgraduate Summary
Presented to the Board of Education, October 27, 2014
Prepared by Kimberly Beck, Assistant Superintendent and Diane de Cristo, Data Consultant
1
AP
2
Part 1
2014 CMT and CAPT Science Testing Results
AP
87.2 89.0 88.4 85.1
90.8 85.2
90.6
82.3 88.7 88.8
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 5 Grade 8
CMT - Elementary/Middle (% at/above Goal)
76.6 77.7 80.1 80.1 80.6
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Grade 10
CAPT- High School (% at/above Goal)
Science 5 Year Trend for Each Grade (2010-2014)
3
AP
5
Gender
92.2 87.5 85.1
90.1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Grade 5 Grade 8
CMT - Science (% at/above Goal)
Male
Female
81.2 79.9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Grade 10
CAPT - Science (% at/above Goal)
Male
Female
AP
DRG RANKINGS (by % at/above Goal)
CMT CAPT
Rank Grade 5 % Goal Grade 8 % Goal Rank Grade 10 % Goal
1 New Canaan 93.7 Darien 89.8 1 Region 9 (T) 84.4
2 Easton 89.8 Easton 89.3 1 Westport (T) 84.4
3 Weston 89.4 Wilton 89.0 3 New Canaan 81.6
4 Ridgefield 88.7 Ridgefield 88.8 4 Weston 81.5
5 Wilton 88.6 New Canaan 88.3 5 Ridgefield 80.2
6 Westport 86.0 Weston 88.0 6 Wilton 77.4
7 Redding 84.4 Redding 86.4 7 Darien 76.6
8 Darien 79.8 Westport 86.2
Range 13.9 3.6 Range 7.8
DRG Avg 87.6 88.2 DRG Avg 80.9
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AP
DRG RANKINGS (by % at/above Goal)
CMT CAPT
Rank Grade 5 % Goal Grade 8 % Goal Rank Grade 10 % Goal
1 New Canaan 93.7 Darien 89.8 1 Region 9 (T) 84.4
2 Easton 89.8 Easton 89.3 1 Westport (T) 84.4
3 Weston 89.4 Wilton 89.0 3 New Canaan 81.6
4 Ridgefield 88.7 Ridgefield 88.8 4 Weston 81.5
5 Wilton 88.6 New Canaan 88.3 5 Ridgefield 80.2
6 Westport 86.0 Weston 88.0 6 Wilton 77.4
7 Redding 84.4 Redding 86.4 7 Darien 76.6
8 Darien 79.8 Westport 86.2
Range 13.9 3.6 Range 7.8
DRG Avg 87.6 88.2 DRG Avg 80.9
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2013 Rank
AP
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Part 2
2014 SAT/ACT/AP Testing and Postgraduate Summary
AP
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89% 92% 94%
90% 95%
64% 60% 61%
52% 51%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
SAT and ACT (% of 2014 Senior class that takes the test)
SAT
ACT
AP
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2014 SAT Score Comparison
480
500
520
540
560
580
600
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Reading (mean scores)
RHS
DRG A
CT
Nation
480
500
520
540
560
580
600
620
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Writing (mean scores)
RHS
DRG A
CT
Nation
480
500
520
540
560
580
600
620
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Math (mean scores)
RHS
DRG A
CT
Nation
AP
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583
507 497
588
508 487
583
510 513
200
300
400
500
600
700
Ridgefield State CT Nation
2014 SAT Comparison (mean scores)
Reading
Writing
Math
AP
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2014 SAT DRG A Compare (mean scores)
Reading Writing Math
Wilton 593 Wilton 605 Darien 611
Weston 592 Darien 600 Weston 598
Darien 588 New Canaan (T) 594 Wilton 597
New Canaan (T) 583 Weston (T) 594 New Canaan 594
Ridgefield (T) 583 Westport 591 Westport 593
Westport (T) 583 Ridgefield 588 Ridgefield 583
Region 9 565 Region 9 582 Region 9 574
DRG Average 584 593 593
AP
13
2014 SAT DRG A Compare (mean scores)
Reading Writing Math
Wilton 593 Wilton 605 Darien 611
Weston 592 Darien 600 Weston 598
Darien 588 New Canaan (T) 594 Wilton 597
New Canaan (T) 583 Weston(T) 594 New Canaan 594
Ridgefield (T) 583 Westport 591 Westport 593
Westport (T) 583 Ridgefield 588 Ridgefield 583
Region 9 565 Region 9 582 Region 9 574
DRG Average 584 593 593
AP
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2014 SAT Scores by Gender
571 563 567 579 581 568 578 568 581 586
200
300
400
500
600
700
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Reading (mean score)
Males Females
569 555 566 585 580 591 604 587 594 597
200
300
400
500
600
700
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Writing (mean score)
Males Females
605 579 592 606 596
567 581 563 573 570
200
300
400
500
600
700
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Math (mean score)
Males Females
AP
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2014 SAT Subject Test Participation
% of all
# Tests Taken # Test-Takers Test-Takers
1 17 10
2 64 39
3 60 37
4 or more 23 14
Total 164
AP
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2014 SAT Subject Tests # RHS CT National
Subject Area Exams Average Average Average
ENGLISH
Literature 51 666 629 619
HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES
U.S. History 89 691 649 643
World History 36 683 629 626
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics Level 1 60 653 627 621
Mathematics Level 2 66 708 688 691
SCIENCE
Biology - Ecological 14 663 638 627
Biology - Molecular 41 715 663 653
Chemistry 20 713 663 668
Physics 25 689 664 665
FOREIGN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
Chinese with Listening 2
French 7 680 620 635
Italian 1
Latin 1
Spanish 15 655 619 651
Spanish with Listening 1
TOTAL TESTS 429 Scores without a mean did not have enough students for an accurate calculation.
AP
17
23
24
25
26
27
28
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 ACT Performance (mean scores)
English
Math
Reading
Science
Composite
AP
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25.6 25.8 26.3
25.5 25.9
27.0 27.7
25.9
24.7
26.4
14.0
16.0
18.0
20.0
22.0
24.0
26.0
28.0
30.0
English Reading Math Science Composite
2014 ACT Scores by Gender (mean scores)
Male
Female
AP
19
Ridgefield and ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
Benchmark Ridgefield
2014 ACT Score* Score
English 18 26.4
Reading 22 26.1
Math 22 26.8
Science 23 25.1
COMPOSITE 26.2
*Minimum score to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in a corresponding college course
AP
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34.6% 33.5% 36.7% 36.7%
44.8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Participation
(percentage of RHS students in grades 10-12)
454 432 486 485 601 Number of Students
AP
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2014 AP Courses With Largest Year-to-Year Increases
2014 Year-to-Year Change
AP Course # Exams # Exams % Increase
Psychology 126 68 117%
Govt. & Politics 171 58 51%
English Literature 110 29 36%
World History 65 21 48%
Calculus 87 22 34%
Environmental Sci. 62 21 51%
English Language 112 15 15%
Macroeconomics 87 10 13%
Microeconomics 87 10 13%
Total 254
Note: All students enrolled in an AP course at RHS take the AP exam.
AP
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2014 Year-to-Year Change % of Grade
AP Course # Exams # Exams % Increase Grade Taking Exam
Psychology 126 68 117% 12 27%
Govt. & Politics 171 58 51% 12 37%
English Literature 110 29 36% 12 24%
World History 65 21 48% 10 15%
Calculus 87 22 34% 11-12
Environmental Sci. 62 21 51% 11-12
English Language 112 15 15% 11 25%
Macroeconomics 87 10 13% 12 27%
Microeconomics 87 10 13% 12 27%
Total 254
2014 AP Courses With Largest Year-to-Year Increases
Note: All students enrolled in an AP course at RHS take the AP exam.
AP
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*A passing score is 3 or above. AP score range is 1 to 5.
94.7 93.5
94.7 95.5 93.7
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 AP Performance (% of AP students passing* one or more AP exams)
93.7
997 945 1082 1104 1386 Number of Exams
AP
61.3%
74.4%
93.7%
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Global
CT
RHS
2014 AP Comparison (% of AP students passing* one or more AP exams
24
*A passing score is 3 or above. AP score range is 1 to 5.
93.7%
AP
16.1%
46.7%
69.5%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
2014 AP Participation by Grade (percentage of AP students in each grade taking at least one AP exam)
25
2.8 1.9 1.2
Exams per student
RHS Average 2.3 exams per
student
69.5%
46.7%
16.1%
AP
# of AP exams taken 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Seniors # Students 319 243 171 98 49 14 3
Percentage 69.5% 52.9% 37.3% 21.4% 10.7% 3.1% 0.7%
Juniors # Students 207 119 49 18 7 2
Percentage 46.7% 26.9% 11.1% 4.1% 1.6% 0.5%
Sophomores # Students 71 10
Percentage 16.1% 2.3%
26
2014 AP Exam Participation
69.5
46.7
16.1
AP
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* Used for U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek rankings.
55.0
45.4
37.0
5.6
57.2
50.1
31.1
8.9
55.7 52.8
38.0
12.9
55.4
50.6
42.1
11.8
65.3 62.5
43.3
15.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Graduating Seniors 12th Grade 11th Grade 10th Grade
2014 AP Equity and Excellence (percent of students in the grade that passed at least one AP exam)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
* (entire RHS career) only only only
AP
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2014 AP DRG A Compare
Approx. Student Number of %
DRG A Population* Testers Participation
Ridgefield 1,759 601 34.2%
Westport 1,879 533 28.4%
Weston 777 216 27.8%
Wilton 1,309 343 26.2%
Darien 1,329 339 25.5%
New Canaan 1,275 319 25.0%
Region #9 1,012 239 23.6%
* 2012-13 population from CT State Department of Education
AP
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2014 AP DRG A Compare
Approx. Student Number of % Total Exams % Exams
DRG A Population* Testers Participation Exams Passed Passed
Ridgefield 1,759 601 34.2% 1,386 1,273 91.8%
Westport 1,879 533 28.4% 1,130 1,035 91.6%
Weston 777 216 27.8% 533 475 89.1%
Wilton 1,309 343 26.2% 743 642 86.4%
Darien 1,329 339 25.5% 705 677 96.0%
New Canaan 1,275 319 25.0% 694 641 92.4%
Region #9 1,012 239 23.6% 421 374 88.8%
* 2012-13 population from CT State Department of Education
AP
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42% of students taking an AP exam are AP Scholars
2014 AP Scholars
2013 2014
27 34 AP National Scholars
Average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken, and
Average score of 4 or higher on 8 or more AP exams
95 127 AP Scholars With Distinction
Average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and
Average score of 3 or higher on 5 or more AP exams
52 56 AP Scholars With Honor
Average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and
Scores of 3 or higher on 4 or more AP exams
61 68 AP Scholars
Scores of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams
AP score range is 1 through 5 with a score of 3 designated as a passing score
AP
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Post Graduate Experience by Class (number of students/percentage of Senior class)
2012 2013 2014
Category # % # % # %
4-Year College 401 89.5 381 93.8 420 91.5
2-Year College 16 3.6 7 1.7 10 2.2
Career Education 1 0.2 1 0.2 3 0.7
College Prep School 1 0.2 0 0.0 2 0.4
Employed 9 2.0 7 1.7 15 3.3
Other (incl. Military) 12 2.7 0 0.0 3 0.7
Year Off 8 1.8 3 0.7 3 0.7
Unknown 0 0.0 7 1.7 3 0.7
Total Students 448 406 459
AP
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Competitiveness of Colleges Attended (number of students/percentage of Senior class)
Competitive 2012 2013 2014
Category* # % # % # %
Most Competitive 92 20.5 80 19.7 95 20.7
Highly Competitive 107 23.9 108 26.6 115 25.0
Very Competitive 90 20.1 89 21.9 100 21.7
Competitive 74 16.5 80 19.7 66 14.4
Less Competitive 7 1.6 4 1.0 5 1.0
Noncompetitive 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Special 9 2.0 12 3.0 6 1.3
Total 379 373 387
Total in Class 448 406 459
*Competitiveness criteria based on college admissions selectivity as developed by and listed in Barron’s Profile of American Colleges.
AP
34
Competitiveness of Colleges Attended (number of students/percentage of Senior class)
Competitive 2012 2013 2014
Category* # % # % # %
Most Competitive 92 20.5 80 19.7 95 20.7
Highly Competitive 107 23.9 108 26.6 115 25.0
Very Competitive 90 20.1 89 21.9 100 21.7
Competitive 74 16.5 80 19.7 66 14.4
Less Competitive 7 1.6 4 1.0 5 1.0
Noncompetitive 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Special 9 2.0 12 3.0 6 1.3
Total 379 373 387
Total in Class 448 406 459
In Top 2 Tiers 199 44% 188 46% 210 46%
*Competitiveness criteria based on college admissions selectivity as developed by and listed in Barron’s Profile of American Colleges.
AP
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96.6% 96.5% 97.4% 96.8% 95.4%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
RHS Students Who Enrolled in College and Who Returned for a Second Year
(percentage)
Source: National Student Clearinghouse, 2012 Student Tracker for HS Demographics Report
AP
36
Intended Majors (self reported - % 2014 SAT test takers)
2013 2014
Arts or Humanities 12 10
Biological Sciences or Related Areas 31 32
Physical Sciences or Related Areas
Business, Commerce or Communications 27 25
Social Sciences or Related Areas 15 16
General Interdisciplinary 2 5
Undecided 13 11
Due to rounding, percent totals may not add to 100
AP
37
Intended Majors (self reported - % 2014 SAT test takers)
2013 2014
Arts or Humanities 12 10
Architecture or Related Services 1 1
Visual and Performing Arts 8 7
English Language and Literature 2 1
Foreign Lang., Literature and Linguistics 1 1
Biological Sciences or Related Areas 31 32
Agriculture or Natural Resources 3 1
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 7 6
Health Professions and Rel. Clinical Services 8 9
Physical Sciences or Related Areas
Computer and Info Sci. and Support Services 2 3
Engineering 9 10
Mathematics and Statistics 1 2
Physical Sciences 1 2
Business, Commerce or Communications 27 25
Business and Commerce 24 20
Communication, Journalism and Related Programs 3 5
Social Sciences or Related Areas 15 16
Education 4 3
Family & Consumer Science/Human Science 0 1
Military Technologies & Applied Science 0 1
Public Affairs and Services 1 2
Social Sciences and History 9 10
General Interdisciplinary 2 5
Undecided 13 11
Due to rounding, percent totals may not add to 100
AP
For more information please visit www.ridgefield.org for the 2014 Testing Report. Visit www.ctreports.com for access to CMT and CAPT information.
38
AP
THANK YOU
39
RIDGEFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2014 Testing Report
CMT and CAPT Science Testing Results
SAT/ACT/AP Testing - Postgraduate Summary
Presented by Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Beck October 27, 2014
2
PART 1
2014 CMT and CAPT Science Testing Results
3
INTRODUCTION The Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) are
standardized tests that measure student progress toward state standards. Both the CMT and CAPT tests
allow us to not only measure how well our students meet academic standards and student academic
growth over time, but also allow us to analyze performance by individual student, school and district.
Testing data also provides us feedback on how well our curriculum design and sequencing, assessment
methods and classroom instructional strategies support academic growth and achievement for our
students. The state web-based reporting tool allows us to look at individual student progress and
district progress in comparison to other DRG A districts and the state.
PURPOSE
The intent of this report is to provide Board of Education members with data and information in
preparation for the presentation and follow-up discussion at the Board level. In no way does this report
represent the totality of the data available, analyzed and utilized within our work at both the district
and school levels. It is a starting point to prompt thinking, discussion and hopefully, stimulate
questions to guide the decision-making for the Ridgefield Public Schools. Additional data and
information may be presented at the Board meeting and by request.
CMT AND CAPT ADMINISTRATION IN 2014 As schools in Connecticut transitioned to the Common Core and Smarter Balanced Assessment
(SBAC), the CMT and CAPT were only administered in science. The science testing is historically
done in grades 5, 8 and 10. This continued for 2014.
HOW WE ARE MEASURED
Student performance on the CMT and CAPT is evaluated using data from several types of
measurements.
Scale Scores and Performance Levels
Overall scores are reported in scale score units. The scale scores for science range from 100 to 400.
Within the scale-score range, five performance levels have been established for each content area.
These five levels are: Advanced, Goal, Proficient, Basic and Below Basic. The Goal Range includes
the highest levels, Advanced and Goal. Scoring in the Goal Range is a challenging, yet reasonable,
expectation for Ridgefield Public Schools students.
The overall science scale score is reported along with raw scores for each science strand and
dimension. There are no established mastery criteria for science. The Science test assesses students’
understanding of important scientific concepts and how those concepts apply to the real world. In
addition, the test focuses on scientific inquiry and using scientific reasoning to solve problems.
4
The following example shows the range of scale scores for each of the five Performance Levels for the
Science CMT taken in grade five.
Advanced (Level 5) 300-400 Basic (Level 2) 188-212
Goal (Level 4) 248-299 Below Basic (Level 1) 100-187
Proficient (Level 3) 213-247
5
The following example shows the range of scale scores for each of the five Performance Levels for the
Science CMT taken in grade eight.
Advanced (Level 5) 299-400 Basic (Level 2) 202-220
Goal (Level 4) 244-298 Below Basic (Level 1) 100-201
Proficient (Level 3) 221-243
The following example shows range of scale scores for each of the five Performance Levels for the
Science CAPT taken in grade ten.
Advanced (Level 5) 295-400 Basic (Level 2) 190-214
Goal (Level 4) 265-294 Below Basic (Level 1) 100-189
Proficient (Level 3) 215-264
6
Performance Reporting CMT/CAPT results for Ridgefield and DRG A are reported in the press as the percentage of students
that have attained a score of Goal or Advanced for a particular subject area and grade.
Content Strand Mastery
Specific performance results (reported in raw scores) and mastery of content strands are reported to
provide both individual, student-based data and curricula information to districts.
GRADE 5 CONTENT STRAND Maximum Score
Possible Science
1 . Physical Science 14 2 . Earth Science 14 3 . Life Science 14 4 . Content Knowledge 24 5 . Scientific Inquiry, Literacy & Numeracy 18
GRADE 8 CONTENT STRAND Maximum Score
Possible Science
1 . Physical Science 17 2 . Earth Science 17 3 . Life Science 17 4 . Content Knowledge 30 5 . Scientific Inquiry, Literacy & Numeracy 21
GRADE 10 CONTENT STRAND Maximum Score
Possible Science
1 . Energy Transformations 15 2 . Chemical Structures and Properties 15 3 . Global Interdependence 15 4 . Cell Chemistry and Biotechnology 15 5 . Genetics, Evolution and Biodiversity 15
HOW WE GET OUR DATA
The state makes the CMT/CAPT data available at www.ctreports.com (hyperlink). The site is
designed for both public and private access.
Public
The public section of the site is accessible by anyone and contains CMT and CAPT data aggregated by
school and district. No individual student data is reported. This data is used for DRG comparisons
within this report. It should be noted that it includes scores for outplaced students.
Private
This section of the site allows secure access to individual student data by district and school personnel.
This data was used for all results presented in this report that are not DRG comparisons. It does not
include outplaced students, therefore there may be slight differences between these scores and the
DRG comparison scores. This data more closely reflects the results of instruction based in our district
schools.
7
Both sections of the ctreports.com website contain a number of software tools that can be used to
disaggregate and analyze the data available. Tools found in the secure section allow for the export of
individual student, school and district data, as well as a more in-depth analysis and student
identification.
RESULTS
Science Scores
Within this report, science scores are reported based on district performance over time and 2014
performance by school. We have also reported on the special education subgroup for each subject area
and grade level in preparation for the new performance measurement system.
Year-to Year Change
We have included the district year-to-year change in scores and as compared to the year-to-year trends
both in DRG A and the state.
Performance Level Change Over Time We have analyzed the change in the percentage of students in each of the five Performance Levels
(Advanced, Goal, Proficient, Basic, and Below Basic) over time.
DRG Comparison and Ranking
Data from our DRG A allows us to compare RPS students with students in other districts having
similar socioeconomic status (SES) and need. We have included our ranking within the DRG for each
grade, and provided other information to evaluate our performance within the DRG.
Districts in DRG A: Darien, Easton, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, Wilton,
and Region No. 9 (Easton/Redding)
Variables Used to Form 2006 DRGs
Four variables (income, education, occupation and family structure) were based on 2000 census data
allocated to school districts for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The remaining
three (poverty, home language and district enrollment) were taken from the State Department of
Education’s October, 2004, records. All variables were based upon families with children attending
public school.
2014 DISTRICT CLASS SIZES
The following represents the number of students tested in science at each grade and school.
Grade 5 Grade 8 Grade 10
Barlow Mountain 68 Branchville 90 Farmingville 62 Ridgebury 62 Scotland 85 Veterans Park 59 East Ridge 274 Scotts Ridge 161 Ridgefield High School 427
TOTAL 426 435 427
8
THE FUTURE Beginning with the 2014-15 school year, the state will measure student performance in English
Language Arts and mathematics based on the Connecticut Core State Standards. The 2014-15
performance assessment process will differ in two ways:
Standards –The new set of standards was developed for kindergarten through grade 12 in
English language arts and mathematics. They have been adopted by 43 states, the District of
Columbia, four territories (Guam, American Samoa Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Northern
Mariana Islands), and the Department of Defense Education Activity. The standards are
designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that
students need for success in college and career.
Performance Measurement – Assessments based on the Common Core State Standards are
being finalized by the Smarter Balance Testing Consortium (SBAC). Field testing for SBAC
was conducted from 2012-14. Full implementation is planned for spring 2015.
The core components of the Smarter Balanced summative assessments:
1. Mandatory comprehensive accountability measures that include computer adaptive
assessments and performance tasks, administered in the last 12 weeks of the school year
in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 for English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics;
2. Designed to provide valid, reliable and fair measures of students’ progress toward and
attainment of the knowledge and skills required to be college- and career-ready;
3. Capitalize on the strengths of computer adaptive testing (e.g. efficient and precise
measurement across the full range of achievement and quick turnaround of results);
4. Produce composite content area scores based on the computer adaptive items and
performance tasks.
Resource: A Summary of Core Components (hyperlink)
Note: Due to the difference in standards measured and test design, CMT/CAPT scores cannot be
compared with Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC) scores. This means that for the first year of the
new system we will not be able to analyze year-to-year change or progress over time. It is assumed that
the reporting of the 2013-14 results will allow us to evaluate (to a degree) how well RPS students have,
in general, met the new standards. Further, based on previous reporting, we also assume that we will be
able to compare our performance to the DRG and state.
ACCOUNTABILITY
“The new CSDE accountability system uses an index score as part of the school classification
system. Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), determining overall school performance
required consideration of multiple data points, including individual grade and subject-area tests
across five performance levels. This made overall school performance assessments and
comparisons nearly impossible. Alternatively, calculating an index score, which is a composite
of multiple data points, allows the CSDE to assess and compare school performance across
9
more than one tested grade, subject or performance level. Note that index scores allow for
appropriate peer comparisons among schools for accountability purposes, but may have limited
diagnostic value.
Given the sizeable achievement gaps between student subgroups in Connecticut, it is
imperative to utilize indicators that allow the progress of subgroups to be tracked over time.
The single value indexes used in the new accountability system allow performance differences
between subgroups to be measured in a manner that is more comprehensive and understandable
than the system under NCLB.”
Resource: CSDE New Accountability System (hyperlink)
SUBGROUPS
In addition to new standards and testing, student subgroups will play an increasingly important role in
our district and school measurement.
Five state subgroups categories are:
Students with Disabilities
English Language Learners (ELL)
Black
Hispanic
Free/Reduced Lunch
The number of students needed to qualify for subgroup measurement has been lowered from 40
students to 20 students. Further, within the new accountability system and in development of the
School Performance Index (SPI) subgroup categories are combined to increase the “n” size. This will
primarily affect Ridgefield Public Schools as related to students with disabilities and those qualifying
for Free/Reduced lunch.
From the October 20, 2014 CSDE Memo:
Review of District and School Performance Index Results (DPI/SPI) for 2013-2014
“The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) will provide district and school
performance reports similar to those released in 2012-13 only for those districts that
administered the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and/or the Connecticut Academic
Performance Test (CAPT) in English Language Arts and Mathematics in 2013-14. Districts
that administered the Smarter Balanced Field Test (SB-FT) only will not receive those
performance reports; instead the CSDE will post an Excel file with the Science DPI/SPI results
based on CMT and/or CAPT for all districts and schools. School classifications from 2012-13
will be carried forward to 2013-14.
The CSDE expects to provide 2013-2014 DPI/SPI results Thursday, November 13 at which
time the results will be made available on the school performance reports page. (hyperlink)
In light of the assessment transition, the CSDE has had to make one rule change to the
calculation of Science DPI/SPI. In prior year calculations, students with disabilities who were
administered the CMT/CAPT Modified Assessment System (MAS) in Reading or Mathematics
were excluded from Science and Writing DPI/SPI calculations. Since the SB-FT did not offer a
MAS option and students with disabilities previously identified for the CMT/CAPT MAS
10
participated in the standard SB-FT, the CSDE is unable to apply this “exclusion rule” when
calculating Science DPI/SPI for SB-FT districts in 2013-14. Moreover, in 2014-15, the MAS
will no longer be an assessment option for any student. Therefore, to maintain comparability in
Science DPI/SPI results among all districts in 2013-14 and future years, the CSDE will be
removing this “exclusion rule” from its accountability calculations effective 2013-14. Please
note that this rule will remain in effect for the CMT/CAPT Writing assessment for districts that
chose to administer the CMT/CAPT in 2013-14.”
TESTING PROCESS
The 2014-15 Connecticut State-wide Assessment Calendar is below. The calendar includes the Smarter
Balanced assessments, the CMT/CAPT Science assessments (including the CMT/CAPT Science Skills
Checklist), and the NCSC/Connecticut Alternate Assessment (CTAA). Districts have the flexibility to
administer tests any time within each testing window.
* CMT/CAPT Science test items will be piloted online.
** Total testing times are estimates for most students and are provided for scheduling purposes. Smarter Balanced
assessments are designed as untimed tests; some students may need more or less time.
+ Assessment calendar questions or questions about technology readiness for the delivery of the assessments can be
directed to the Student Assessment Office at 860-713-6860 or [email protected].
As with the Smarter Balanced Field Test during the spring of 2014, this year’s administration will test
English Language Arts and Mathematics. The tests, which are untimed, are estimated to take
approximately 7.5 hours in grades 3 through 8, and 8.5 hours in grade 11. This is similar to the number
of hours devoted previously to CMT/CAPT. The number of sessions will vary depending on grade
level, subject, and pace of the students. Testing windows for each grade will be approximately three
weeks.
11
RESULTS
12
87.2 89.0 88.4 85.1 90.8
85.2 90.6
82.3 88.7 88.8
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 5 Grade 8
5 Year Trend for Each Grade (2010-2014)
2014 Science CMT - Elementary/Middle (% at/above goal)
76.6 77.7 80.1 80.1 80.6
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Grade10
5 Year Trend for Each Grade (2010-2014)
2014 Science CAPT - High School (% at/above Goal)
SCIENCE CMT/CAPT – GENERAL TRENDS
13
CMT DISCUSSION
It should be noted the CMT science test is only administered in grade five and eight. Schools’ scores
show that there is not a great deal of variability within science at the elementary and middle school
level.
CAPT DISCUSSION
CAPT Science scores show only a very slight increase from the previous year.
88.7 89.7 87.8 90.3 90.3 88.2 86.4
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 5
2014 Science by Elementary School (% at/above goal)
RPS
BMES
BES
FES
RES
SES
VPES
PERFORMANCE BY SCHOOL
14
Data from our DRG A allows us to compare RPS students with students in other districts having
similar socioeconomic status (SES) and need. What follows is a list of the DRG A schools and their
CMT/CAPT class sizes.
DRG A Districts and 2014 Class Size by Grade
Grade 5 Grade 8 Grade 10
Darien 371 383 329
Easton 98 121
New Canaan 363 317 282
Redding 122 132
Ridgefield 426 436 429
Weston 189 209
195 Westport 464 457 467 Wilton 368 365
332
Region 9 257
88.9 90.5 86.3
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 8
2014 Science by Middle School (% at/above goal)
RPS
ERMS
SRMS
DRG COMPARISON AND RANKING
15
The charts that follow provide information for comparing Ridgefield’s performance to other districts in
DRG A.
RANK – This is how Ridgefield ranks compared to DRG A in the percentage of students that scored
at/above Goal and by average Scale Score. The number of DRG A districts for the CMT is eight and
for the CAPT is seven.
RANGE OF DRG SCORES – This number represents the range of scores in the DRG, lowest to
highest, for a particular grade and subject.
DIFFERENCE ABOVE/BELOW DRG AVERAGE – This number represents the difference
between Ridgefield’s Goal percentages and the average at/above Goal percentage for DRG A.
Numbers in parenthesis represent averages below the DRG average.
# OF STUDENTS TO GET TO #1 – This represents the number of additional students who needed
to score at/above Goal for Ridgefield to place first in DRG A for that grade and subject area.
AVERAGE SCALE SCORE RANK – Scale score represents the actual score a student attained.
Using the average scale score for the class (similar to the class average) this column represents where
Ridgefield would rank if scale score were used as ranking criteria.
Note: DRG rankings should be used with caution particularly when the scores for the school in the
DRG fall within a small range.
2014 SCIENCE - Rank by %Goal
Rank Grade 5 %
Goal Grade 8 %
Goal
Rank Grade 10 %
Goal
1 New Canaan 93.7 Darien 89.8
1 Region 9 (T) 84.4
2 Easton 89.8 Easton 89.3
1 Westport (T) 84.4
3 Weston 89.4 Wilton 89.0
3 New Canaan 81.6
4 Ridgefield 88.7 Ridgefield 88.8
4 Weston 81.5
5 Wilton 88.6 New Canaan 88.3
5 Ridgefield 80.2
6 Westport 86.0 Weston 88.0
6 Wilton 77.4
7 Redding 84.4 Redding 86.4
7 Darien 76.6
8 Darien 79.8 Westport 86.2
Range 13.9 3.6
Range 7.8
DRG Avg 87.6 88.2
DRG Avg 80.9
16
District DRG Comparison Summary
2014 SCIENCE DRG A
RPS % DRG Score Difference # Students Average Grade (% Goal) Goal Range above/(below) needed to Scale Score
CMT Rank (% Goal) DRG Average get to #1 Rank
3
4
5 88.7 4 13.9 1.1 22 4
6
7
8 88.8 4 3.6 0.6 5 3
CAPT 10 80.2 5 7.8 (0.7) 18 4
Rank by Average Scale Score
Rank Grade 5 Avg
Score Grade 8 Avg
Score
Rank Grade 10 Avg
Score
1 New Canaan 309.4 New Canaan 293.6
1 Westport 303.6
2 Weston 298.5 Darien 287.8
2 Region 9 303.2
3 Wilton 295.6 Ridgefield 287.6
3 New Canaan 302.2
4 Ridgefield 294.5 Wilton 287.4
4 Ridgefield 300.4
5 Redding 288.7 Easton 285.7
5 Wilton 300.2
6 Easton 288.5 Westport 284.5
6 Darien 295.2
7 Westport 286.3 Weston 282.2
7 Weston 295.0
8 Darien 276.9 Redding 279.7
Range 32.5 13.9
Range 10.6
DRG Avg 292.3 286.1
DRG Avg 300.0
CMT CAPT Grade 5 Grade 8 Grade 10
2013 2014 2013 2014 2013 2014
# Special Ed 32 40 35 43 23 29
Class Total 392 426 430 436 453 427
% Special Ed 8.2% 9.4% 8.1% 9.9% 5.4% 6.8%
SPECIAL EDUCATION
17
NOTE: Small sample sizes for students with disabilities
93.0 92.9
47.5 51.2
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 5 Grade 8
2014 CMT Science - Special Ed (% at/above Goal)
Non-SpEd SpEd
84.4
27.6
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 10
2014 CAPT - Science (% at/above Goal)
Non-SpEd SpEd
18
NOTE: Small sample sizes for students with disabilities
48.8
62.5
51.3
28.2
52.6
14.3
43.8
22.9
47.5 51.2
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 5 Grade 8
CMT Special Ed (% at/above Goal 2010-2014)
37.1
18.2
44.0
32.4 25.8
0
20
40
60
80
100
Grade 10
CAPT Special Ed (% at/above Goal 2010-2014)
19
PERFORMANCE LEVEL CHANGE OVER TIME DISCUSSION
Science – This data shows the steady improvements over time made at the secondary level. It does
show a slight decline in performance level at grade five. The percentage of students performing at the
Advanced Level in grades eight and ten is at a five-year high.
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
��Grade 5 ��Grade 8
CMT (Performance Level Change 2010-2014)
Advanced
Goal
Proficient
Basic
Below Basic
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Grade 10
CAPT (Performance Level Change 2010-2014)
Advanced
Goal
Proficient
Basic
Below Basic
PERFORMANCE LEVEL CHANGE
20
PART 2
2014 SAT/ACT/AP Testing – Postgraduate Summary
21
INTRODUCTION Ridgefield students take a variety of tests as part of the college admissions process, the results of which
are outlined in this report. Below is a brief description of each of these tests.
SAT – The SAT measures critical reading, writing and math skills and is taken
primarily in the junior and senior year. Most RHS sophomores and juniors take the
PSAT in October each year to prepare for the SAT. The SAT measures reasoning and
thinking skills. (SAT score scale: 200-800).
ACT - The ACT is a content and skills based test measuring performance in the areas
of English, reading, math and science. The ACT combines these score into one
Composite Score. (ACT score scale: 1-36).
AP – Advanced Placement (AP) tests are taken by Ridgefield students upon completion
of an AP course at Ridgefield High School. AP courses are rigorous and provide
students with an opportunity to take college-level courses in high school. The College
Board determines AP curriculum content. (AP score scale: 1-5 with a score of 3 as
passing).
SAT Subject Tests – These tests measure content knowledge in a specific subject.
They are designed for the high school level and students usually take them after
completing a yearlong course in that area. The more selective colleges require SAT
Subject Tests as part of their application process. (SAT Subject Test score scale: 200-
800).
In addition to AP courses, Ridgefield High School offers an additional opportunity for students to
complete college level coursework through the UConn Early College Experience Program. These
courses are offered at RHS and taught by teachers who have credentials issued through the UConn
certification process. Students can receive UConn credits upon successful completion of the course and
payment of a registration fee. In 2013-14 UConn courses were offered in English (senior year),
Economics, Environmental Science and Individual/Family Development.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SCORES TO COLLEGES
The variety of academic programs and student achievement levels in high schools across the United
States makes it difficult for colleges to compare students. Independent testing programs such as the
SAT, ACT, AP and SAT Subject Tests enable colleges to view students on “a level playing field”
where all students take the same test and, for the most part, under the same conditions. Although
student test scores do not singly determine college admission, admissions officers use them to help
form a more complete picture of a student. Although the SAT and ACT are strongly associated with
the college application process, an increasing numbers of colleges no longer require SAT or ACT
scores for admission.
AP scores serve two purposes at the college level. As part of the admissions process, AP scores
indicate a student’s ability to successfully complete college course work. Once a student is enrolled,
some colleges will award course credit to students who attain certain AP scores. Many colleges also
use scores for course level placement.
22
TEST SCORES AND COLLEGE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS The SAT, ACT, AP and SAT Subject Tests have a variety of roles in the college admissions process.
Most, but not all, colleges require applicants to submit scores from either the SAT or ACT with most
now giving applicants the option to use scores from either of the two tests. Additionally, some colleges
will require SAT Subject test scores as part of their application process.
THE FUTURE SAT
When students open their SAT test books in spring 2016, they will encounter an SAT that has been
redesigned, testing the few things that research shows matter most for college and career readiness.
Because a test alone cannot change student outcomes, assessments such as the SAT must be integrated
with rigorous classroom instruction, and through their results, propel students to greater opportunities.
The redesigned SAT will reward productive use of classroom time and a focus on rigorous course
work.
For more information about the redesigned SAT visit: https://www.collegeboard.org/delivering-
opportunity/sat/redesign (hyperlink)
Advanced Placement - AP
To continually enhance alignment with current best practices in college-level learning and help
students develop the knowledge and skills essential for college majors and subsequent careers, AP is
undergoing a number of key changes including the redesign of several courses in each discipline and
the introduction of new courses over the next few years.
For more information about the upcoming changes to the AP Program visit: What's Changing in AP?
(hyperlink)
For more information about the AP Program visit: AP Program: Insights for Parents and Families
(hyperlink)
POSTGRADUATE EXPERIENCE
In addition to reporting on college-related test scores, included in this report is a summary of student
choices for postgraduate experiences and a breakdown of college attendance by level of
competitiveness and intended major.
23
SAT PERFORMANCE
This year’s SAT performance continued the previous years improvement in Reading. In Writing we
moved closer to the DRG averages however in Math there was a slight decrease in average score
compared to the DRG average.
These scores continue to reflect a performance more in line with performance of our peer DRG
schools.
550
560
570
580
590
600
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 SAT Scores (mean scores)
Reading
Writing
Math
SAT
24
SAT COMPARISON
The SAT performance of Ridgefield and DRG A students compares favorably in all areas to the
performance of students both in Connecticut and nationally.
480
500
520
540
560
580
600
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 SAT Reading (mean scores)
RHS
DRG A
CT
Nation
480
500
520
540
560
580
600
620
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 SAT Writing (mean scores)
RHS
DRG A
CT
Nation
25
The following chart compares Ridgefield 2014 scores with the state and nation.
480
500
520
540
560
580
600
620
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 SAT Math (mean scores)
RHS
DRG A
CT
Nation
583
507 497
588
508 487
583
510 513
200
300
400
500
600
700
Ridgefield State CT Nation
2014 SAT Comparison (mean scores)
Reading
Writing
Math
26
SAT PERFORMANCE BY GENDER
Comparing the performance of males and females, there is fairly consistent performance equity in
Reading. In Writing, females have performed better than males, however that gap appears to be
closing in recent years. In Math, males continue to outperform females.
571 563 567 579 581 568 578 568 581 586
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 SAT Reading Scores by Gender (mean score)
Males Females
569 555 566 585 580 587 591 604 587 594
200
300
400
500
600
700
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 SAT Writing Scores by Gender (mean score)
Males Females
27
SAT DRG COMPARISON
Ridgefield has traditionally lagged in its SAT performance in comparison to the DRG. However,
performance in recent years has shown that gap to be closing. This was true again in 2014 in Reading
and Writing where performance edged closer to the DRG average. There was however a slight
decrease in Math. The table below shows RPS performance in comparison to the other DRG A
schools.
Reading Writing Math Wilton 593 Wilton 605 Darien 611
Weston 592 Darien 600 Weston 598
Darien 588 Weston (T) 594 Wilton 597
Westport (T) 583 New Canaan (T) 594 New Canaan 594
Ridgefield (T) 583 Westport 591 Westport 593
New Canaan (T) 583 Ridgefield 588 Ridgefield 583
Region 9 565 Region 9 582 Region 9 574
2014 DRG Average 584 593 593
2013 DRG Average 582 595 598
605 579 592 606 596
567 581 563 573 570
200
300
400
500
600
700
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 SAT Math Scores by Gender (mean score)
Males Females
28
SAT Subject Tests measure performance in a specific subject area. Most RHS students take these tests
after completing a year-long course in that area. Some of the more selective colleges require submittal
of SAT Subject Test scores as part of their application process.
2014 SAT Subject Test - Exam Profile
% of all % of 2014 # Tests Taken # Test-Takers Test-Takers Senior Class
1 17 10 2
2 64 39 8
3 60 37 8
4 or more 23 14 3
Total 164
# RHS CT National 2014 Subject Area Exams Score Average Average
ENGLISH
Literature 51 666 629 619
HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES
U.S. History 89 691 649 643
World History 36 683 629 626
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics Level 1 60 653 627 621 Mathematics Level 2 66 708 688 691
SCIENCE
Biology - Ecological 14 663 638 627 Biology - Molecular 41 715 663 653 Chemistry 20 713 663 668 Physics 25 689 664 665
FOREIGN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
Chinese with Listening 2
French 7 680 620 635 Italian 1 Latin 1 Spanish 15 655 619 651 Spanish with Listening 1
TOTAL TESTS 429
Scores without a mean did not have enough students for an accurate calculation.
SAT Subject Tests
29
ACT PERFORMANCE
This year’s ACT scores dropped slightly after the large increases from the previous year.
23
24
25
26
27
28
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 ACT Performance (mean scores)
English
Math
Reading
Science
Composite
ACT
30
ACT COMPARISON
When compared to the state and the nation, Ridgefield students performed well in all ACT subject
areas and composite.
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 ACT English (mean scores)
RHS
CT
Nation
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 ACT Reading (mean scores)
RHS
CT
Nation
31
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 ACT Math (mean scores)
RHS
CT
Nation
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 ACT Science (mean scores)
RHS
CT
Nation
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 ACT Composite (mean scores)
RHS
CT
Nation
32
In 2014, Ridgefield ACT mean scores exceeded those of the state and nation in all subjects.
COLLEGE READINESS
The ACT works collaboratively with colleges to determine benchmark scores for college readiness.
The chart below shows how well Ridgefield students perform compared to that benchmark. According
to the ACT, a benchmark score is “the minimum score needed on an ACT subject area test to indicate a
50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the
corresponding credit bearing college courses.”
Benchmark Ridgefield
2014 ACT Score Score
English 18 26.4
Reading 22 26.1
Math 22 26.8
Science 23 25.1
Composite 26.2
26.4
24.2
20.3
26.1 24.1
20.9
26.8
24.5
21.3
25.1 23.6
20.8
26.2 24.2
21.0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Ridgefield State CT Nation
2014 ACT Comparison - CT and Nation (mean scores)
English
Reading
Math
Science
33
ACT SCORES BY GENDER
On the ACT, female test takers outperformed males in English and reading, whereas the males
outperformed females in math and science.
SAT AND ACT
This year showed a notable increase in the number of students taking the SAT, however, ACT
participation has declined slightly
25.6 25.8 26.3 25.5 25.9
27.0 27.7
25.9 24.7
26.4
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
English Reading Math Science Composite
2014 ACT Scores by Gender (mean scores)
Male
Female
89% 92% 94%
90% 95%
64% 60% 61%
52% 51%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
SAT and ACT (% of 2014 Senior class that takes the test)
SAT
ACT
34
AP PARTICIPATION
Ridgefield has traditionally had a large number of students participate in the AP program. Students
enrolled in an AP course are required to take the AP exam in May. Therefore, representation of
numbers of exams taken is equivalent to the number of students enrolled in AP courses. Below is the
percentage of Ridgefield students in grades 10 through 12 that take one or more AP courses/exams.
This year there was a notable increase in the number of students taking AP courses and any number of
exams given. The reasons for the increase are discussed in later chart.
AP Exam Profile
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Number of test takers 454 432 486 485 601
Number of exams given 997 945 1082 1104 1386
34.6% 33.5% 36.7% 36.7%
44.5%
0%
20%
40%
60%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 AP Exam Participation (percentage of RHS students in grades 10-12)
AP – ADVANCED PLACEMENT
35
AP PARTICIPATION BY COURSE/EXAM
The following AP courses are available to students at Ridgefield High School. The number of exams
given in 2014 is listed in parenthesis next to the exam name. Juniors taking the AP Human Geography
course did so after working independently with a social studies teacher. A small number of students (4)
took AP Italian and AP Music Theory after taking the regular courses in those areas.
English Social Studies
English Language and Composition (112) United States History (97)
English Literature and Composition (110) United States Government and Politics (171)
World Language Psychology (126)
Spanish Language and Culture (19) Macroeconomics (87)
French Language and Culture (8) Microeconomics (87)
German Language and Culture (11) World History (65)
Chinese Language and Culture (4) Human Geography (7)
Math Science
Calculus AB (87) Biology (93)
Calculus BC (22) Chemistry (24)
Statistics (69) Environmental Science (62) Computer Science (26) Physics B (51)
Art Physics C: Mechanics (17)
Studio Art (14) Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism (10)
AP PARTICIPATION BY EXAMS TAKEN
Many RHS students take more than one AP course/exam. What follows is a profile of the number of
students and the number of AP exams they take. (Note: Macro- and microeconomics are taken in the
senior year as one economics course but the students take two exams.) Total students in grades 10
through 12 take an average of 2.3 exams. Seniors, juniors and sophomores take an average of 2.8, 1.9
and 1.2 exams respectively.
# of AP exams taken 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Seniors # Students 319 243 171 98 49 14 3 Percentage 69.5% 52.9% 37.3% 21.4% 10.7% 3.1% 0.7%
Juniors # Students 207 119 49 18 7 2 Percentage 46.7% 26.9% 11.1% 4.1% 1.6% 0.5%
Sophomores # Students 71 10 Percentage 16.1% 2.3%
36
AP COURSES WITH THE LARGEST YEAR-TO-YEAR INCREASE
This year’s increase in both the number of students taking AP courses and AP exams given was due to
increases in several AP courses. The table below shows the courses and their respective increases.
Several of these courses are only offered to one grade level and the last two columns show the
percentage of the class taking that particular course. For example, 37% of all seniors take the required
Government and Politics course as an AP level class.
2014 Year-to-Year Change
# Exams # Exams % Increase Grade % of Grade
Psychology 126 68 117% 12 27%
Govt. & Politics 171 58 51% 12 37%
English Literature 110 29 36% 12 24%
World History 65 21 48% 10 15%
Calculus 87 22 34% 11-12
Environmental Sci. 62 21 51% 11-12
English Language 112 15 15% 11 25%
Macroeconomics 87 10 13% 12 27%
Microeconomics 87 10 13% 12 27%
Total 254
AP PERFORMANCE
The College Board measures AP success by the percentage of students that pass one or more AP
exams. Performance levels have been relatively consistent despite the fact the number of tests given in
the past five years has increased by 39%.
*A passing grade is 3 or above. AP score range is 1 to 5.
94.7 93.5 94.7 95.5 93.7
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 AP Performance (% of students passing* one or more AP exams)
37
Ridgefield students continue to perform well compared to state and international students.
*A passing grade is 3 or above. AP score range is 1 to 5.
GRADE LEVEL PROFILE
For the group of students that take the AP test, the chart below shows the percentage of these
students at each grade level. Last year we saw a notable increase in the number of juniors taking AP
courses. This year’s seniors were primarily responsible for the increase in AP enrollment.
61.3%
74.4%
93.7%
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Global
CT
RHS
2014 AP Comparison (% of students passing* one or more AP exams)
5.7% 8.8% 12.3% 10.9% 11.8%
36.8% 33.7% 34.0% 41.2% 34.4%
57.0% 56.8% 53.7% 47.6% 53.1%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2014 AP Students by Grade (percent)
Grade 12
Grade 11
Grade 10
38
The chart below shows percentage of students in the entire grade that takes at least one AP exam.
AP EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE
(USED IN NATIONAL RANKINGS)
An important measure of the College Board is the Equity and Excellence measurement. The goal of the
Equity and Excellence measurement is to encourage academic challenge and achievement for all
students.
Equity and Excellence measures the percentage of students in a school that have taken at least one AP
test and passed it with a 3 or higher. A perfect score would mean that every student in a school took
and passed an AP test.
The Equity and Excellence measurement for graduating seniors is used, in some form, by publications
such as US News and World Report and Newsweek to rank high schools. This measurement represents
the percentage of seniors who took and passed at least one AP exam at any point in their high school
career.
The large increase in the number of seniors taking AP courses this year and their high pass rate on the
exams will reflect favorably in ranking calculations.
16.1%
46.7%
69.5%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
2014 AP Participation by Grade (percentage of students in each class)
39
* Used for U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek rankings
AP DRG A COMPARISON
Below is an informational comparison of the depth and success of AP programs at DRG A schools.
Ranking is in terms of percent participation. Note: Ridgefield students who take an AP course are
required to take the AP test. Not all schools have this requirement.
55.0
45.4
37.0
5.6
57.2
50.1
31.1
8.9
55.7 52.8
38.0
12.9
55.4
50.6
42.1
11.8
65.3 62.5
43.3
15.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Graduating Seniors 12th Grade 11th Grade 10th Grade
2014 AP Equity and Excellence (percent of students that passed at least one AP exam)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Student # % Total Exams %
Exams Per Pupil Per Pupil
Cost
DRG A Population
* Testers Participation Exams Passed Passed Cost % above
RPS
Ridgefield 1,759 601 34.2% 1,386 1,273 91.8% 15,241 -
Westport 1,879 533 28.4% 1,130 1,035 91.6% 18,173 19%
Weston 777 216 27.8% 533 475 89.1% 18,927 24%
Wilton 1,309 343 26.2% 743 642 86.4% 17,020 12%
Darien 1,329 339 25.5% 705 677 96.0% 16,719 10%
New Canaan 1,275 319 25.0% 694 641 92.4% 17,837 17%
Region #9 1,012 239 23.6% 421 374 88.8% 18,729 23%
* 2012-13 Population and Per Pupil Cost from CT State Department of Education
* (entire RHS career) only only only
40
AP SCHOLARS
The AP Scholars program recognizes students with significant achievement on the AP test both in the
number of AP tests taken and scores. Forty-two percent of Ridgefield AP students attained AP scholar
recognition.
2013 2014
27 34 AP National Scholars
Average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken, and
Average score of 4 or higher on 8 or more AP exams
95 127 AP Scholars With Distinction
Average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and
Average score of 3 or higher on 5 or more AP exams
52 56 AP Scholars With Honor
Average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and
Scores of 3 or higher on 4 or more AP exams
61 68 AP Scholars
Scores of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams
AP score range is 1 through 5 with a score of 3 designated as a passing score
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CLASS OF 2014 POSTGRADUATE PLANS
The majority of Ridgefield students pursue college-level work after graduating. The charts that follow
identify the postgraduate plans for the Class of 2014.
Postgraduate Experience by Class (number of students/percentage of 2014 Senior class)
2012 2013 2014
Category # students % # students % # students %
4-Year College 401 89.5 381 93.8 420 91.5
2-Year College 16 3.6 7 1.7 10 2.2
Career Education 1 0.2 1 0.2 3 0.7
College Prep School 1 0.2 0 0.0 2 0.4
Employed 9 2.0 7 1.5 15 3.3
Other (incl. Military) 12 2.7 0 0.0 3 0.7
Year Off 8 1.8 3 0.7 3 0.7
Unknown 0 0.0 7 1.7 3 0.7
Total Students 448
406
459
POSTGRADUATE EXPERIENCE
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COLLEGE COMPETITIVENESS
A large percentage of Ridgefield students attend four-year colleges considered to be competitive
according to Barron’s Profile of American Colleges. The competiveness criteria developed by
Barron’s are based on admissions selectivity. Examples of schools in Barron’s top four categories are
listed below followed by a chart with the percentages of Ridgefield students attending each category of
school.
MOST COMPETITIVE Boston College, Bucknell, Colgate, Duke, Harvard, Princeton,
Stanford, Vanderbilt, Wesleyan, Yale
HIGHLY COMPETITIVE Boston University, Denison, Dickinson, Furman,
Gettysburg, Skidmore, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
VERY COMPETITIVE Clemson, Emerson, Fordham, Marquette, Providence,
Northeastern, Quinnipiac, Stonybrook, UConn
COMPETITIVE Hanover, Lake Forest, Rochester Institute of
Technology, Stonehill, Univ. of Delaware, Ursinus
Competitiveness of Colleges Attended (number of students/percentage of 2014 Senior class)
2012 2013 2014
Category # students % # students % # students %
Most Competitive 92 20.5 80 19.7 95 20.7
Highly Competitive 107 23.9 108 26.6 115 25.0
Very Competitive 90 20.1 89 21.9 100 21.7
Competitive 74 16.5 80 19.7 66 14.4
Less Competitive 7 1.6 4 1.0 5 1.0
Non Competitive 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Special 9 2.0 12 3.0 6 1.3
Total 379 373 387
Total in Class 448 406 459
In Top 2 Tiers 199 44% 188 46% 210 46%
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INTENDED MAJORS
Students taking the SAT complete a survey concerning their future majors. The results show that over
50% of RHS students are interested in pursuing careers in either the sciences or
business/communications. These results have been fairly consistent for the past five years.
RHS Class of 2014 Intended Majors (self-reported - % SAT test takers)
2013 2014
Arts or Humanities 12 10
Architecture or Related Services 1 1
Visual and Performing Arts 8 7
English Language and Literature 2 1 Foreign Lang., Literature and Linguistics 1 1
Biological Sciences or Related Areas 31 32
Agriculture or Natural Resources 3 1
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 7 6
Health Professions and Rel. Clinical Services 8 9
Physical Sciences or Related Areas
Computer and Info Sci. and Support Services 2 3
Engineering 9 10
Mathematics and Statistics 1 2 Physical Sciences 1 2
Business, Commerce or Communications 27 25
Business and Commerce 24 20 Communication, Journalism and Related Programs 3 5
Social Sciences or Related Areas 15 16
Education 4 3
Family & Consumer Science/Human Science 0 1
Military Technologies & Applied Science 0 1
Public Affairs and Services 1 2
Social Sciences and History 9 10
General Interdisciplinary 2 5
Undecided 13 11
Due to rounding, percent totals may not add to 100
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ADVANCED STANDING
Some colleges will award credit or use test scores for level placement. This allows students to place
out of introductory courses or take higher-level courses based on their scores on the AP and SAT
Subject Tests. RHS students have reported they will seek advanced standing in several subject areas
which are listed in the chart below. This information was also obtained from the SAT survey.
PLANS FOR ADVANCED STANDING (% of 2014 SAT test takers – self-reported)
3 Art 22 Biology 8 Chemistry 4 Computer Science
30 English 15 Foreign Language 7 Humanities
25 Mathematics 2 Music
11 Physics 41 Social Studies 33 None of the Subjects Listed Above
Due to students selecting multiple subjects, percent totals do not add to 100
COLLEGE ATTENDANCE
The National Student Clearinghouse track students as they continue through college. The chart that
follows shows the percentage of Ridgefield students who return for a second year of college after
enrolling in the first year. As seen here, a high percentage of students continue with their college
education after the first year.
96.6% 96.5% 97.4% 96.8% 95.4%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
RHS Students Who Enrolled in College and Who Returned for a Second Year
(percentage)
