2010 Statewide DSTP Test Results Released in Grades 2-10
(Dover, De.) Test results of this year’s administration of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) for students in grades 2-10 showed mathematics scores either improved or remained constant in all but one grade while reading scores decreased in almost every grade. Today’s results were released today by Secretary of Education Dr. Lillian M. Lowery.
The results are as follows:
MATHEMATICS: In the elementary grades, at grade 2, 88% of students met or exceeded standards, a one percentage point increase from 2009 and an overall two percentage point increase from 2007. In grade 3, 78% met or exceeded standards, equal to 2009 and one percentage point increase from 2007. In grade 4, 78% met or exceeded the standard, a one percentage point increase from 2009 and a two percentage point increase from 2007. In grade 5, 76% of students met or exceeded the standard, a one percentage point decrease from 2009 and no change from 2007.
At the middle school grades, in grade 6, 73% of students met or exceeded the standards, a two percentage point decrease since 2009 and a one percentage point decrease since 2007. In grade 7, 70% of students met or exceeded the standard, a one percentage point decrease from 2009 and a four percentage point increase since 2007. In grade 8, 68% of students met or exceeded the standard, a two percentage point increase from 2009 and a seven percentage point increase from 2007.
At the high school grades, in grade 9, 54% of students met or exceeded the standard, a one percentage point decrease from 2009 and a three percentage point increase from 2007. In grade 10, 57% of students met or exceeded the standard, a one percentage point increase from 2009 and even with results from 2007.
READING: In the elementary grades, at grade 2, 82% of students statewide are meeting/exceeding the standard in reading, a drop of three percentage points from last year and even with performance from four years ago. In grade 3, 77% of students met or exceeded the standard, a four percentage point decrease from 2009 and a four percentage decrease from 2007. In grade 3, 76% of students met or exceeded the standard, a six percentage point decrease from 2009 and 2007. In grade 5, 81% of students met or exceeded the standard, a four percentage point decrease from 2009 and 2007.
At the middle school grades, in grade 6, 74% of students met or exceeded the standard, a nine percentage point decrease from 2009 and a six percentage point decrease from 2007. In grade 7, 83% of students met or exceeded the standard, a four percentage point decrease from 2009 and a one percentage point decrease from 2007. In grade 8, 78% of students met or exceeded the standard, a three percentage point decrease from 2009 and a four percentage point decrease from 2007.
At the high school grades, in grade 9, 69% of students met or exceeded the standard, a five percentage point decrease from 2009 and 2007. In grade 10, 64% of students met or exceeded the standard, a seven percentage point difference from 2009 and an eight percentage point decrease since 2007
“This year, based on guidance we received from the U.S. Department of Education, we recommended to district and charter school staff that they curtail the use of the ‘Read Aloud’ accommodation. This accommodation allows printed reading passages in the DSTP to be read aloud to a student by the classroom test administrator,” said Dr. Michael Stetter, Director for Curriculum & Instruction, and Acting Director of Accountability at the Delaware Department of Education. Use of this accommodation alters the skill actually assessed by the reading passage items. In other words, use of the Read Aloud accommodation changes the test from a reading comprehension measure as designed into a listening comprehension measure.
“Extensive use of this accommodation in previous test administrations had placed Delaware out of compliance with federal guidelines for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) participation and proficiency calculations,” said Stetter. In 2009, 6,321 students had the accommodation of “Read Aloud” for the reading test. In 2010, the number of students with the accommodation was reduced to 1,435.
Stetter added, “It is noteworthy that our analysis of test results indicated that 53% of the students who took the DSTP in 2009 with the Read Aloud accommodation performed at the same level or higher without this accommodation in 2010. Overall, the reading score drop observed at all assessed grade levels in this year’s DSTP is linked to the lower performance of roughly half of the students who took the assessment without the Read Aloud accommodation.”
The public access website opens at 1:00 p.m. today. School personnel, parents, policy makers, and the media are encouraged to visit DOE’s web site at http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/aab to look at data pertinent to them and to their schools.
Delaware’s Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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