Weymouth Township

School District

District Assessment Report

2008 - 2009

2nd NJPASS
3rd through 8th NJASK

Compiled by: Dr. Donna Van Horn, Chief School Administrator

INTRODUCTION: STATEWIDE TESTING PROGRAM

The State Board of Education adopted the Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) in May 1996 to describe what all students should know and be able to do at the end of fourth grade, eighth grade and upon completion of a New Jersey public high school education. The New Jersey State Department of Education mandated the establishment and administration of statewide assessments to measure how students are progressing towards acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to graduate high school. The CCCS informed the development of three statewide assessments: the fourth grade Elementary School proficiency Assessment (ESPA), which was administered from 1997-2002; the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA), which replaced the EWT in 1998; and a new High School proficiency Assessment (HSPA), which replaced the HSPT11 as the state’s graduation test for all students who enter the eleventh grade in the fall of 2001. Newly revised NJASK Grades 5-8 was introduced in the Spring of 2008.

With the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), New Jersey’s statewide assessment of elementary school children has undergone further change. Under the provisions of that act, every state is required to administer annual standards-based assessments of all children in grade 3 through grade eight. Federal expectation is that each state will provide tests that are grounded in that state’s content standards and that assess student’s critical thinking skills in three fundamental areas of learning: language arts literacy, mathematics, and science.

In response to the NCLB requirements and to New Jersey’s own expectation that children will be reading on grade level by the end of third grade, New Jersey has revised its elementary assessment to begin developing a comprehensive, multi-grade testing program. Beginning in May 2003, all third and fourth graders took the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK). All students in grades 5, 6 and 7 were added to the administration of the NJASK in Spring 2006. Students in grade 2 were administered the New Jersey Proficiency Assessments of State Standards (NJPASS), to provide consistency with the state testing program for grades 3-7.

The Grade 5-8 New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) is aligned with the Core Curriculum Content Standards. In April 2008, a new NJASK 5-8 was administered for the first time. Following the administration of the test, the New Jersey Department of Education raised the proficiency standards.

Three proficiency levels have been established for each content area of the NJASK: partially proficient, proficient, and advanced proficient. Students scoring in the partially proficient level are below the state’s expected minimum level of proficiency. As a result, instructional strategies for these students are developed after additional information is considered (e.g. classroom performance, teacher observations).

Grade 2 – NJPASS

The New Jersey Proficiency Assessment of State Standards (NJPASS) is aligned with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. NJPASS will help identify students' strengths and weaknesses to target classroom instruction more effectively.

Reflects New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
Criterion-referenced
Research-based
Authentic test environment—multiple-choice and open-ended questions

All test items were reviewed by New Jersey educators and field-tested in New Jersey schools

Language Arts:
Students respond to a writing prompt based on a picture; listen to a passage; and answer questions about what they have heard; and read several passages and answer questions about what they have read. Students also respond to a writing prompt based on a poem

Reading

Working with the Passage includes comprehending the passage, such as recognizing the main idea and supporting details, getting information, paraphrasing meaning, and recognizing organization of text and purpose of reading.
Analyzing the Passage includes analyzing and evaluating the passage by using skills such as asking questions, predicting meaning, developing opinions, drawing conclusions, and interpreting conventions of print.

Listening

Working with the Passage includes applying listening skills associated with passage comprehension, such as recognizing the main idea and supporting details, getting information, paraphrasing meaning, and recognizing organization of text and purpose for reading.
Analyzing the Passage includes analyzing and evaluating the passage by using skills such as asking questions, predicting meaning, developing opinions, drawing conclusions, and interpreting conventions of print.

Writing

Students' writing at all grades is evaluated based on content, development, and language conventions.

Mathematics:

Number Sense, Operations, and Properties—Students demonstrate an understanding of number sense, operations, and properties through comparing and performing operations on numbers.
Measurement—Students demonstrate the ability to describe and compare the measurable attributes of objects using the metric and customary systems of measurement.
Spatial Sense and Geometry—Students demonstrate spatial sense and geometry by investigating symmetry, perimeter, and common properties.
Data Analysis, Probability, and Discrete Mathematics—Students demonstrate the ability to determine the probability of events and to analyze and interpret data.
Patterns and Algebra—Students demonstrate the ability to recognize and generalize a variety of patterns and relationships, including those with numbers and shapes.

Mean Cluster Scores: NJPASS LANGUAGE ARTS

	Reading Skills		Listening Skills		Writing
	Working with the Passage	Analyzing the Passage	Working with the Passage	Analyzing the Passage	Content, Development, and Language Conventions	TOTAL
Possible Raw Score	16	10	4	4	8	42
Weymouth Twp Mean 2008	9.1	4.6	2.4	1.6	3.5	21.2
Weymouth Twp Mean 2009	11.5	6.0	3.0	2.0	4.5	27.0

Scale Score Distribution: NJPASS LANGUAGE ARTS

Aggregate Grouping

% Partially Proficient

% Proficient

% Advanced Proficient

All Students

2008

44%

33%

22%

All Students

2009

14%

45%

41%

Mean Cluster Scores: NJPASS MATHEMATICS

	Number Sense, Operations, and Properties	Measurement	Spatial Sense and Geometry	Data Analysis, Probability, and Discrete Mathematics	Patterns and Algebra	TOTAL
Possible Raw Score	14	6	6	7	7	40
Weymouth Twp Mean 2008	9.2	3.8	4.9	4.6	4.5	27
Weymouth Twp Mean 2009	10.8	4.7	5.4	5.3	5.0	31.2

Scale Score Distribution: NJPASS MATHEMATICS

Aggregate Grouping

% Partially Proficient

% Proficient

% Advanced Proficient

All Students

2008

26%

48%

26%

All Students

2009

55%

36%

Grades 3 through 8 / Assessments of Skills and Knowledge – NJASK

The total NJASK scores are reported as scale scores with a range of 100 to 300. The scale score of 250 is the cut-off point between proficient students and advanced proficient students. The scale score of 200 is the cut-off point between proficient students and partially proficient students. A review of raw scores indicates WTS students scored consistently above state mean scores in all cluster areas. Compared with the statewide results, Weymouth Township students tended to have higher scores at the proficiency level. On a percentage basis, the district had considerably fewer students than the state at the partially proficient level.

NJASK Mathematics

The mathematics portion of the NJASK measures students’ abilities to solve problems by applying mathematical concepts. Items are grouped into five content clusters:

                        Cluster 1         Number Sense and Numerical Operations
                        Cluster 2         Geometry and Measurement
                        Cluster 3         Patterns and Algebra
                        Cluster 4         Data Analysis, Probability, and Discrete Math
                        Cluster 5        Problem Solving

3rd GRADE:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Mathematics

	Number and Numerical Operations	Geometry & Measurement	Patterns & Algebra	Data Analysis, Probability, and discrete Mathematics	Problem Solving
Possible Raw Score	20.0	11.0	11.0	8.0	29.0
State Just Proficient Mean	10.1	6.4	5.2	4.3	14.1
DFG B Mean	11.9	7.1	6.3	4.8	16.7
Weymouth Twp Mean	13.9	8.0	6.8	5.9	19.6

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Mathematics

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	23.1	46.2	30.8
General Education Students	20.8	45.8	33.3
Special Education Students	50.0	50.0	0.0

4th GRADE:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Mathematics

	Number and Numerical Operations	Geometry & Measurement	Patterns & Algebra	Data Analysis, Probability, and discrete Mathematics	Problem Solving
Possible Raw Score	20.0	11.0	11.0	8.0	32.0
State Just Proficient Mean	9.7	5.4	5.0	4.9	15.4
DFG B Mean	10.8	6.2	5.9	5.2	17.4
Weymouth Twp Mean	11.4	6.2	5.8	4.7	17.2

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Mathematics

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	40.9	45.5	13.6
General Education Students	40.0	50.0	10.0
Special Education Students	50.0	0.0	50.0

5th GRADE:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Mathematics

	Number and Numerical Operations	Geometry & Measurement	Patterns & Algebra	Data Analysis, Probability, and discrete Mathematics	Problem Solving
Possible Raw Score	14.0	12.0	12.0	12.0	25.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	6.6	4.8	5.9	5.8	11.2
DFG B Mean	8.3	6.2	6.9	6.9	13.8
Weymouth Twp Mean	9.0	7.0	7.4	7.6	15.7

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Mathematics

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	14.8	63.0	22.2
General Education Students	15.4	61.5	23.1
Special Education Students	0.0	100.0	0.0

6th GRADE:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Mathematics

	Number and Numerical Operations	Geometry & Measurement	Patterns & Algebra	Data Analysis, Probability, and discrete Mathematics	Problem Solving
Possible Raw Score	13.0	13.0	12.0	12.0	26.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	5.7	6.6	6.8	7.0	13.8
DFG B Mean	6.6	7.0	7.2	7.4	14.8
Weymouth Twp Mean	6.8	6.7	7.1	8.2	15.8

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Mathematics

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	33.3	58.3	8.3
General Education Students	30.4	60.9	8.7
Special Education Students	100.0	0.0	0.0

7th GRADE:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Mathematics

	Number and Numerical Operations	Geometry & Measurement	Patterns & Algebra	Data Analysis, Probability, and discrete Mathematics	Problem Solving
Possible Raw Score	13.0	13.0	13.0	13.0	30.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	6.4	6.1	7.5	7.1	12.3
DFG B Mean	6.7	6.6	7.7	7.3	7.3
Weymouth Twp Mean	7.1	7.9	8.2	8.2	15.2

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Mathematics

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	31.0	55.2	13.8
General Education Students	16.7	66.7	16.7
Special Education Students	100.0	0.0	0.0

8th Grade:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Mathematics

	Number and Numerical Operations	Geometry & Measurement	Patterns & Algebra	Data Analysis, Probability, and discrete Mathematics	Problem Solving
Possible Raw Score	13.0	13.0	13.0	13.0	30.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	7.5	6.7	7.4	6.4	16.1
DFG B Mean	8.1	7.5	7.9	6.9	17.4
Weymouth Twp Mean	9.7	8.8	9.9	8.5	21.1

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Mathematics

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	15.2	60.6	24.2
General Education Students	12.9	61.3	25.8
Special Education Students	50.	50.0	0.0

NJASK - Language Arts Literacy

The Language Arts/Literacy section of the test measures student’s achievements in reading and writing. It assesses knowledge and skills in two content clusters, each with two subclusters:

Cluster 1 Writing

Writing about Pictures
Writing about Poems

Cluster 2 Reading

Working with Text
Analyzing Text
Reading First

3rd Grade:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Language Arts

	Writing	Expository Task 1	Expository Task 2	Reading	Working With Text	Analyzing Text
Possible Raw Score	20.0	10.0	10.0	30.0	12.0	18.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	9.4	4.8	4.6	15.6	8.2	7.3
DFG B Mean	9.4	4.8	4.6	14.8	7.7	7.1
Weymouth Twp Mean	9.0	4.7	4.3	17.0	9.3	7.6

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Language Arts

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	42.3	57.7	0.0
General Education Students	37.5	62.5	0.0
Special Education Students	100.0	0.0	0.0

4th Grade:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Language Arts

	Writing	Expository Task 1	Expository Task 2	Reading	Working With Text	Analyzing Text
Possible Raw Score	20.0	10.0	10.0	39.0	14.0	25.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	10.7	5.8	4.9	21.3	9.2	12.1
DFG B Mean	10.4	5.6	4.8	19.9	8.4	11.4
Weymouth Twp Mean	9.1	4.9	4.2	22.6	9.7	12.9

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Language Arts

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	40.9	59.1	0.0
General Education Students	40.0	60.0	0.0
Special Education Students	50.0	50.0	0.0

5th Grade:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Language Arts

	Writing	Speculative Task	Expository Task	Reading	Working With Text	Analyzing Text
Possible Raw Score	20.0	10.0	10.0	43.0	18.0	25.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	11.7	6.3	5.4	25.3	11.9	13.5
DFG B Mean	11.5	6.1	5.3	24.5	11.5	13.0
Weymouth Twp Mean	10.7	6.4	4.2	27.9	14.1	13.7

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Language Arts

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	14.8	63.0	22.2
General Education Students	15.4	61.5	23.1
Special Education Students	0.0	100.0	0.0

6th Grade:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Language Arts

	Writing	Persuasive Task	Explanatory Task	Reading	Working With Text	Analyzing Text
Possible Raw Score	18	12	6	52	19	33
State Just Proficient Mean*	7.9	5.4	2.5	29.1	12.5	16.6
DFG Mean	8.1	5.6	2.6	29.5	12.4	17.0
Weymouth Twp Mean	8.5	5.7	2.9	33.6	14.3	19.3

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Language Arts

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	25.0	75.0	0.0
General Education Students	26.1	73.9	0.0
Special Education Students	0.0	100.0	0.0

7th Grade:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Language Arts

	Writing	Persuasive Task	Explanatory Task	Reading	Working With Text	Analyzing Text
Possible Raw Score	18.0	12.0	6.0	52.0	21.0	31.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	9.0	6.2	2.8	27.0	11.2	15.8
DFG B Mean	9.2	6.4	2.9	28.4	12.0	16.4
Weymouth Twp Mean	10.2	7.0	3.2	31.3	13.5	17.8

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Language Arts

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	27.6	51.7	20.7
General Education Students	16.7	58.3	25.0
Special Education Students	80.0	20.0	0.0

8th Grade:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Language Arts

	Writing	Persuasive Task	Explanatory Task	Reading	Working With Text	Analyzing Text
Possible Raw Score	18.0	12.0	6.0	52.0	19.0	33.0
State Just Proficient Mean*	9.8	6.6	3.1	25.2	9.1	16.1
DFG B Mean	10.3	7.0	3.3	29.8	11.3	18.4
Weymouth Twp Mean	12.0	8.1	3.8	36.4	14.4	22.0

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Language Arts

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	0.0	87.9	12.1
General Education Students	0.0	87.1	12.9
Special Education Students	0.0	100.0	0.0

NJASK SCIENCE / GRADES 4 and 8 ONLY

Grade 4:
Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Science

	Life Science	Physical Science	Earth Science	Knowledge	Application
Possible Raw Score	15	12	12	6	33
State Just Proficient Mean*	5.5	5.0	4.5	2.2	12.8
DFG B Means	8.2	6.9	6.9	3.2	18.8
Weymouth Twp Mean	8.6	7.0	7.2	3.2	19.5

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Science

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	13.6	36.4	50.0
General Education Students	15.0	40.0	45.0
Special Education Students	0.0	0.0	100.0

Grade 8:

Mean Cluster Scores: NJASK Science

	Life Science	Physical Science	Earth Science	Knowledge	Application
Possible Raw Score	21	16	17	9	45
State Just Proficient Mean*	8.9	6.3	5.8	3.7	17.3
DFG B Mean	11.6	8.0	8.3	4.7	23.1
Weymouth Twp Mean	14.0	10.5	11.2	6.0	29.6

* Just Proficient Means are the statewide raw score means for students whose scale score is 200

Scale Score Distribution: NJASK Language Arts

Aggregate Grouping	% Partially Proficient	% Proficient	% Advanced Proficient
All Students	0.0	60.6	39.4
General Education Students	0.0	58.1	41.9
Special Education Students	0.0.	100.0	0.0

SUMMARY

Interventions/Recommendations:

While the overall performance for WTS students continues to improve, and WTS continues to make “Adequate Yearly Progress” toward the NCLB standards, any student scoring within the partially proficient range raises a concern. Our goal is for all students to reach the state proficiency level, at a minimum. Students that fall into the Partially Proficient Range during Grade Eight testing are brought to the attention of appropriate high school staff members such as language arts, math and science teachers, and guidance counselors. Student performance is monitored in order to ensure that appropriate assistance is provided so that each individual student can become proficient in all subject areas, prior to taking the HSPA. After analyzing test results and reviewing current practices, the following list includes on-going interventions currently in place and continued recommendations that can be identified to support the district’s continued growth in meeting the Core Curriculum Content Standards:

To address the needs of students falling in the Partially Proficient range in both Language Arts and Mathematics, we have scheduled additional Basic Skills Improvement classes. Provided as either a pull-out or push-in program, support teachers are working with classroom teachers to identify skill weaknesses and appropriate interventions. Formative assessments, Learnia and Dibels, will assist teachers in drilling down to specific skill deficits to plan instructional interventions.
For students falling below proficiency in mathematics in Grade 7 testing, additional instructional time is built directly into their schedule. The BSI teacher, working in cooperation with the classroom teacher, provides push-in support services two additional instructional periods a week.
Increased use of grading rubrics in both reading and writing to guide student performance and to assess the effectiveness of instruction. Continue to apply the New Jersey Department of Education general rubrics in both reading and writing.
Writing Workshop is added to the instructional program for students in grades 1 – 5. One period a week, the middle school language arts teacher conducts a lesson in cooperation with the regular classroom teacher. A Professional Learning Team is working to develop standardized writing strategies and protocols for use across the grades.
Support and encourage all teachers in all content areas to become teachers of reading and writing. Daily experiences with reading and writing should occur in all classes. All content area teachers should use the New Jersey Department of Education rubrics for assignments.
Provide class time for students to master and demonstrate application of the five steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading and publishing for all writing assignments.
Encourage students to acquire vocabulary through concept related instruction.
Students should discuss reading and writing activities in focused cooperative learning groups.
Along with dialogue, calculator use will be monitored carefully, in order that students will begin to develop a self-awareness of appropriate times to use the calculator (problem solving) and times when estimation and mental math would better serve the student’s needs.
Teachers will utilize software and other technology that, parallel to the curriculum, can provide students an opportunity to independently build their skills in weak areas and see a visual (or perhaps, virtual) representation of many of the concepts that are part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards.
Formal instructional time to cover Study Skills has been implemented in Sixth through Eighth. Two instructional periods of 45 minutes are scheduled per week throughout the entire school year. Teachers have been provided with appropriate instructional materials.
Test Prep and Writing Across the Curriculum will continue as part of the core curriculum in each subject area.
The use of OnCourse lesson planning procedures will provide closer supervision of instruction to ensure that all core curriculum content standards are being covered by classroom instruction.

Weymouth Township

School District

District Assessment Report

2008 - 2009

Compiled by: Dr. Donna Van Horn, Chief School Administrator

TOTAL

TOTAL

NJASK - Language Arts Literacy