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Columbia students show gains in FCAT scoring
Many grade levels performing above state average.
By TROY ROBERTS
troberts@lakecityreporter.com
Students in the Columbia School District are showing steady progress in reading, math and science, according to results from the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test that were released Tuesday.
Many grade levels are performing at or above that of the state average, according to the data.
Results for the writing portion of the exam have previously been released, but Tuesday the state released the scores for the reading, math and science sections. Students in third through 10th grades took the reading and math
portions of the test, while fifth graders, eighth graders and 11th-graders took the science section.
Third-grade scores were released last month.
School officials were generally pleased with the results.
“We’re making progress and that is the key point to all of this,” said Kitty McElhaney, school district director of curriculum assessment.
The test is graded on a scale of 1 to 5 — 5 is the highest possible score — and state law mandates that those students who do not at least score a 2 on the exam be retained. If a school scores a 60 percent on a portion of the test, that means that 60 percent are performing at grade level and are scoring either a 3, 4, or 5 on the test.
Fourth grade
In fourth grade, the district saw increases in both reading and math. The district scored a 77 in reading, up five percentage points from the previous year, and a 74 in math, up from a 67 in 2007. Both are above the state average of 70 and 71, in reading and math respectively.
Columbia City Elementary School scored an 81 on reading and a 73 on math. Eastside Elementary School scored a 79 on reading and a 78 on math. Five Points Elementary School scored a 76 on the reading portion of the test and a 72 on the math section. Fort White Elementary School saw a 12 point increase in reading from a 68 in 2007 to an 80 and an 11 point increased in math from a 66 to a 77 this year. Melrose Park Elementary School saw an increase to a 72 in reading, and a 18 point jump to an 82 in math.
Niblack Elementary School posted large gains as well, a 15-point increase to a 66 in reading and a 17 point increase to a 59 in math. Summers Elementary School posted 10 point gains in each section, a 78 in reading and a 79 in math.
Westside Elementary School scored a 77 in reading and a 68 in math.
Fifth grade
In fifth grade, the district saw a slight drop in reading scores but a significant increase in the math section of the FCAT. In reading, the district scored a 70, a 1 percent drop from 2007, and a 61 in math, a 13 percent increase.
This is the second year that science has been included on the test. The district posted a 44 on the science section.
All scores were at the same level or higher than their state counterparts. At the state level, students scored a 67 in reading, a 61 in math and a 43 in science.
Columbia City posted a 72 in reading, a 64 in math and a 53 in science. Eastside scored a 79 in reading — a 10 percent increase — a 19-point gain in math for a 70, and a 52 in science, a 10-point gain from 2007.
Five Points scored a 72 in reading, a 57 in math and a 41 in science. Fort White scored a 71 in reading, a 62 in math — a 10-point increase — and a 41 in science. Melrose scored a 63 in reading, a 51 in math — up from a 34 in 2007 — and a 40 in science. Niblack scored a 43 in reading, a 30 in math — a 17-point increase from 2007 — and a 7 in science.
Summers posted a 67 in reading, a 64 in math — a 15-point increase — and a 39 in science. Westside scored a 75 in reading, a 65 in math and a 50 in science.
Sixth grade
The district saw a slight decrease in the reading scores and a slight increase in math at the sixth-grade level. Students in the district scored a 56 in reading and a 44 in math, compared to a 63 and a 53 at the state level.
At the Challenge Learning Center, students in sixth grade scored a 29 in reading and didn’t have any students performing at or above grade level in the math portion. At Fort White High School, students scored a 59 in reading and a 46 in math — both drops. Lake City Middle School posted a decrease in reading to a 61 and saw a four point increase in math to a 52. Richardson Middle School stood its ground this year, posting the same scores from a year ago — a 45 in reading and a 33 in math.
Seventh grade
The district saw gains in the seventh grade this year, posting a 65 in reading — up eight points from 2007 —and a 52 in math — up nine points from the previous year. The district performed the same as students statewide, but was down compared to the state average in math. The state average was a 61.
Challenge Learning Center posted a 39 in reading and a 17 in math, both increases. Fort White saw increases as well, a 65 in reading and a 53 in math. LCMS saw big gains this year, a 74 in reading and a 62 in math, compared to a 61 and 47 in 2007. Richardson also saw gains, posting a 53 in reading and a 38 in math.
Eighth grade
Eighth-grade scores were mixed this year, as the district posted a gain in reading, dropped in math and stayed the same in science. The district scored a 47 in reading, a 55 in math and a 33 in science. The state posted a 53 in reading, a 63 in math and a 40 in science.
At the local level, Challenge Learning Center scored a 23 in reading, a 10 in math and a 7 in science. Fort White scored a 45 in science, a 53 in math and a 32 in science. LCMS scored a 56 in reading, a 63 in math and a 39 in science. Richardson scored a 38 in reading, a 49 in math and a 26 in science.
Ninth grade
The district posted gains at the ninth grade level but still fell short of the state average. As a whole, the district scored a 42 in reading — a two-point increase — and a nine-point increase to a 62 in math. The state average was a 46 in reading and a 65 in math.
Challenge Learning Center scored a 9 in reading and did not post a score for math. Columbia High School saw increases in both reading and math, scoring a 43 and 63 respectively. Fort White High School also saw increases — the school scored a
41 in reading and a 64 in math.
10th grade
In 10th grade, the district again posted gains and was competitive against the state average in both reading and math. The district scored a 39 in reading and a 68 in math, compared to the state average of 38 in reading and 69 in math.
CHS scored a 39 in reading and a 70 in math, both increases. FWHS scored a 41 in reading and a 67 in math.
At the 10-grade level, another criteria comes into play — percent passing. To pass, a student must score above a 300 to graduate. At CHS and FWHS, 59 percent of students scored at 300, both increases from the previous year.
11th grade
Students in grade 11 are only required to take the science portion of FCAT, and it is not a requirement to graduate from high school. The district saw a slight drop to a 31 this year while the state saw a minimal increase to a 38.
Students at CHS scored a 30 on the science portion of the test, while FWHS students scored a 32.
Many grade levels are performing at or above that of the state average, according to the data.
Results for the writing portion of the exam have previously been released, but Tuesday the state released the scores for the reading, math and science sections. Students in third through 10th grades took the reading and math
portions of the test, while fifth graders, eighth graders and 11th-graders took the science section.
Third-grade scores were released last month.
School officials were generally pleased with the results.
“We’re making progress and that is the key point to all of this,” said Kitty McElhaney, school district director of curriculum assessment.
The test is graded on a scale of 1 to 5 — 5 is the highest possible score — and state law mandates that those students who do not at least score a 2 on the exam be retained. If a school scores a 60 percent on a portion of the test, that means that 60 percent are performing at grade level and are scoring either a 3, 4, or 5 on the test.
Fourth grade
In fourth grade, the district saw increases in both reading and math. The district scored a 77 in reading, up five percentage points from the previous year, and a 74 in math, up from a 67 in 2007. Both are above the state average of 70 and 71, in reading and math respectively.
Columbia City Elementary School scored an 81 on reading and a 73 on math. Eastside Elementary School scored a 79 on reading and a 78 on math. Five Points Elementary School scored a 76 on the reading portion of the test and a 72 on the math section. Fort White Elementary School saw a 12 point increase in reading from a 68 in 2007 to an 80 and an 11 point increased in math from a 66 to a 77 this year. Melrose Park Elementary School saw an increase to a 72 in reading, and a 18 point jump to an 82 in math.
Niblack Elementary School posted large gains as well, a 15-point increase to a 66 in reading and a 17 point increase to a 59 in math. Summers Elementary School posted 10 point gains in each section, a 78 in reading and a 79 in math.
Westside Elementary School scored a 77 in reading and a 68 in math.
Fifth grade
In fifth grade, the district saw a slight drop in reading scores but a significant increase in the math section of the FCAT. In reading, the district scored a 70, a 1 percent drop from 2007, and a 61 in math, a 13 percent increase.
This is the second year that science has been included on the test. The district posted a 44 on the science section.
All scores were at the same level or higher than their state counterparts. At the state level, students scored a 67 in reading, a 61 in math and a 43 in science.
Columbia City posted a 72 in reading, a 64 in math and a 53 in science. Eastside scored a 79 in reading — a 10 percent increase — a 19-point gain in math for a 70, and a 52 in science, a 10-point gain from 2007.
Five Points scored a 72 in reading, a 57 in math and a 41 in science. Fort White scored a 71 in reading, a 62 in math — a 10-point increase — and a 41 in science. Melrose scored a 63 in reading, a 51 in math — up from a 34 in 2007 — and a 40 in science. Niblack scored a 43 in reading, a 30 in math — a 17-point increase from 2007 — and a 7 in science.
Summers posted a 67 in reading, a 64 in math — a 15-point increase — and a 39 in science. Westside scored a 75 in reading, a 65 in math and a 50 in science.
Sixth grade
The district saw a slight decrease in the reading scores and a slight increase in math at the sixth-grade level. Students in the district scored a 56 in reading and a 44 in math, compared to a 63 and a 53 at the state level.
At the Challenge Learning Center, students in sixth grade scored a 29 in reading and didn’t have any students performing at or above grade level in the math portion. At Fort White High School, students scored a 59 in reading and a 46 in math — both drops. Lake City Middle School posted a decrease in reading to a 61 and saw a four point increase in math to a 52. Richardson Middle School stood its ground this year, posting the same scores from a year ago — a 45 in reading and a 33 in math.
Seventh grade
The district saw gains in the seventh grade this year, posting a 65 in reading — up eight points from 2007 —and a 52 in math — up nine points from the previous year. The district performed the same as students statewide, but was down compared to the state average in math. The state average was a 61.
Challenge Learning Center posted a 39 in reading and a 17 in math, both increases. Fort White saw increases as well, a 65 in reading and a 53 in math. LCMS saw big gains this year, a 74 in reading and a 62 in math, compared to a 61 and 47 in 2007. Richardson also saw gains, posting a 53 in reading and a 38 in math.
Eighth grade
Eighth-grade scores were mixed this year, as the district posted a gain in reading, dropped in math and stayed the same in science. The district scored a 47 in reading, a 55 in math and a 33 in science. The state posted a 53 in reading, a 63 in math and a 40 in science.
At the local level, Challenge Learning Center scored a 23 in reading, a 10 in math and a 7 in science. Fort White scored a 45 in science, a 53 in math and a 32 in science. LCMS scored a 56 in reading, a 63 in math and a 39 in science. Richardson scored a 38 in reading, a 49 in math and a 26 in science.
Ninth grade
The district posted gains at the ninth grade level but still fell short of the state average. As a whole, the district scored a 42 in reading — a two-point increase — and a nine-point increase to a 62 in math. The state average was a 46 in reading and a 65 in math.
Challenge Learning Center scored a 9 in reading and did not post a score for math. Columbia High School saw increases in both reading and math, scoring a 43 and 63 respectively. Fort White High School also saw increases — the school scored a
41 in reading and a 64 in math.
10th grade
In 10th grade, the district again posted gains and was competitive against the state average in both reading and math. The district scored a 39 in reading and a 68 in math, compared to the state average of 38 in reading and 69 in math.
CHS scored a 39 in reading and a 70 in math, both increases. FWHS scored a 41 in reading and a 67 in math.
At the 10-grade level, another criteria comes into play — percent passing. To pass, a student must score above a 300 to graduate. At CHS and FWHS, 59 percent of students scored at 300, both increases from the previous year.
11th grade
Students in grade 11 are only required to take the science portion of FCAT, and it is not a requirement to graduate from high school. The district saw a slight drop to a 31 this year while the state saw a minimal increase to a 38.
Students at CHS scored a 30 on the science portion of the test, while FWHS students scored a 32.
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Once Again wrote on Jun 11, 2008 4:27 PM: