Vernon’s CMT and CAPT Scores Revealed

The results of yearly standardized tests for Vernon student have been released.

The results indicate the some students are making steady progress, while others are still trying to meet the expectations set by federal No Child Left Behind legislation. Vernon is in a similar situation to the national climate of figuring out which formula works toward assisting students in their success on the standardized tests.

Over the summer, the State Department of Education released the scores for the Connecticut Mastery Tests and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test. District leadership is banned from releasing how these scores impacted Adequate Yearly Progress, which tells whether the school is making the grade, failing or was able to obtain safe harbor in order to keep themselves of the list of schools not meeting NCLB requirements, because that information is embargoed by the state until officials can verify the scores. The date to release AYP information keeps getting pushed back. District officials were told possibly next week that information can be released.

The scores (see attached charts) show that the majority of Vernon schools are struggling. But the superintendent has ideas to help students and schools.

Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway, finishing her first year in the top educational spot, admits Vernon’s scores need work. But under Conway’s helm schools will take a systemic approach making everyone responsible for the success of students district-wide not just the particular content or grade concentration one is involved with. 

Conway admits that she is not surprised by Vernon’s scores, but explains that Vernon did not make any significant changes leading up to the testing.  That will change for the upcoming tests students will take in March 2012.

“This year, we are beginning a very thoughtful process to work on the instructional core which is the interaction between the teacher, the student, and the content,” Conway said.  “We are starting the year ensuring that all our teachers have common baseline knowledge in what we are calling the “big five” – phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. From there we will be working on a strong viable curriculum and common assessments and ensuring that all teachers share the strategies that work with each other.” 

Conway also points out that curriculum will be reviewed. Although each of the five elementary schools has the same curriculum, it may not be being utilized effectively,she said. Reading is a concentration this year, she said. The goal is to have students reading at grade level before leaving the third grade, Conway said.

 “I do not believe that we are all operating with the same curriculum right now, so I am not surprised that there are discrepancies between schools,” Conway said.  “We are working hard on providing a tangible viable curriculum for each teacher in language arts this September.  From there, we will develop common assessments at each grade level and be able to tell if we are implementing the curriculum consistently.”

When Conway joined the Vernon district she explained numerous times at presentations that the achievement of students would be the responsibility all staff from kindergarten to high school.

“Students graduate from Vernon Public Schools not just Rockville High School,” Conway said.

 “The principals are members of the senior leadership team which is tackling student achievement systemically.  The students in our district belong to all of us and we need to take that responsibility seriously, thoughtfully, and purposefully. We need to create a learning community within each school,” she said.  “We are also modeling that at the central office level by creating our own learning community which will serve as the district senior leadership team which will be making decisions about teaching and learning for the district.”

Conway said she believes that once consistency and good curriculum is placed within the walls of the district, the test scores will take care of themselves.

 “If we have a guaranteed viable curriculum, utilize effective teaching strategies and common assessments as well as continually collaborate around all that student work to improve instruction, the result is that our students will achieve at higher levels and the scores will take care of themselves,” Conway said.  “Of course, the real key to that is holding high expectation for each and every child in our system.”

High expectations need to be a team effort that includes parents being involved in the educational process. This means that work needs to occur outside school at home. Conway explained that parents can assist in this by making reading a focal point.

 “Hold high expectations for your child.  Truly expect that you child will achieve at high levels,” Conway said.  “We all rise to the level of our expectations.  Also, read, read, read.   As parents, we need to model that we are reading  - for pleasure, for information, and to learn.”

Vernon elementary schools are beginning a trimester system this year to mirror the universal screenings that take place in the district. Students are evaluated three times during the year – beginning, middle and end to see what progress has been made.

“The universal screenings tell us that students are improving throughout the year.” Conway said.

Conway explained that district wide teachers and administrators are going to be having discussions on what students need to be learning and what skills do students need to take with them. Conway explained that skills need to go deeper and not just skim the surface.

“We are looking at what we want students to do and really look at the skills,” she said. “Students need to be able to transfer those thinking skills to whatever topic they are learning about. Colleges want someone who knows how to think.”

As Vernon teachers came back to work this year, Conway spoke to them explaining that this year there would be change. Vernon is not alone Conway points out. Nationally educational systems are addressing why students are not meeting testing goals.

“What we are doing is not working. We need to change what we are doing” Conway said. “We have made it so messy and so big in this country.”

Conway also hopes to adjust the culture in Vernon schools so that when teachers find something that works they share it with their colleagues. She wants learning to be about the students and what is best for them.

“We need to reduce the isolation. We need to share instructional strategies. We need to trust each other,” Conway said. “The bottom line is what is good for our students, not just the ones in our classrooms.”