|
ALBANY, N.Y. (June 1, 2009)
-- City School District of Albany students in grades 3-8 once again
demonstrated significant progress on the New York state math exam this
year, with 15.5 percent more achieving the two highest levels.
District-wide, 67 percent achieved Level 3
or Level 4 on the test administered in March, up from 58 percent in
2007-08, according to results the State Education Department released
June 1. Measured over two years, the district has seen a 40 percent
increase in the number of students scoring at the top two levels.
“We are pleased that our students continue
to realize strong achievement gains across the district,” said
Superintendent Eva C. Joseph, Ed.D. “We are proud of the efforts
everyone in our school community is making to help us achieve our goals,
and we will continue our work to ensure that all of our students are
prepared to achieve this level of success.”
The most significant gains this year were in
grade 8, where 38 percent more students scored Level 3 or Level 4, and
in grade 5, where 21 percent more students achieved grade-level
proficiency. Every elementary and middle school posted achievement gains
and met the state benchmark, with double-digit gains in 11 of 15
buildings.
Additionally, students in all subgroups made
strong progress in 2009 as the district continues its efforts to
eliminate the achievement gap. Increases in students achieving Levels
3-4 included:
-
17 percent among African-American
students
-
14.3 percent among Hispanic students
-
36 percent among students with
disabilities
-
18.5 percent among economically
disadvantaged students
-
25 percent among limited English
proficiency students
Several factors are contributing to the
district’s progress in math, Dr. Joseph said.
Quarterly mid-term interval assessments are
allowing teachers to address areas in which students need additional
support. More attention to vocabulary development through the ELA
curriculum also is leading to improved results in math.
Professional development initiatives such as
math coaches and the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education are
contributing factors as well.
The strong gains in math followed similar
results district-wide on this year’s English language arts exam.
Overall, 61 percent of
the district’s students in grades 3-8 achieved proficiency in ELA this
year, a 24 percent gain over 2008 and a 42 percent increase over 2007.
The City School
District of Albany serves approximately 8,300 students in 18
elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood
schools, the district includes several
magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic
opportunities for students. The
district is more than halfway through its comprehensive facilities
project to newly
build and/or renovate nearly all of its elementary
and middle
schools. The ultimate goal of the facilities project is
to provide schools with the resources to help students
succeed in the 21st century.
|
