Township K-8 District's Test Scores Stable

Gloucester Township Public Schools experienced moderate gains at some levels and moderate drops in others, with its students generally scoring well in math, according to data on 2011 standardized tests released by the state Department of Education this week.

The results are for Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (ASK) and High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) tests taken by public-school students in third- through eight-grades grades and high school students (usually juniors), respectively, in spring 2011. The tests assess "proficiency" in language arts and math for grades three through eight, with an additional science test for students in grades four and eight and a biology test for the high school students.

The state's averages inched forward in three of four main categories in 2011:

NJ’s 2010 Proficient or Advanced Proficient

NJ’s 2011 Proficient or Advanced Proficient

ASK 3-8 Math

73.1

75.5

ASK 3-8 Lang. Arts

66.6

66.5

HSPA Math

74.1

75.2

HSPA Lang. Arts

87.1

89.6

"Overall, our (math) scores were above the state average," GTPS Superintendent Thomas Seddon said.

GTPS students passed the ASK math tests at a higher rate than the state average in four of six grade levels, with the district's grades six and eight being the exceptions—and just barely. At the sixth-grade level, 76.3 percent of GTPS students passed (77.4 percent was the state average); at the eight-grade level, 70.9 percent of students passed (71.5 was the state average).

The district fell slightly below the state average in language arts proficiency on the 2011 ASK tests, with only fifth-grade students exceeding the state average at their respective grade level.

(Editor's note: Check back with GT Patch next week for Black Horse Pike Regional School District 2011 standardized test results.)

Results are divided into three categories: partially proficient, proficient and advanced proficient. In layman's terms, students testing as proficient or advanced proficient passed the exam, while students testing as partially proficient failed the test.

As Seddon noted on Friday, the scores students had to reach to be considered proficient or advanced proficient on the ASK changed in 2011.

"One of the issues with the testing is we've seen an increase in the growth of our scores, but with the test itself, the benchmarks for proficient and advanced proficient went up significantly" in 2011, he said.

The scoring scale for all grades' tests remained at 100 to 300 in 2011, but it took a better performance in 2011 for a student to score the same 200 in math than a student taking the same test in 2010 and previous years.

Students achieving a score of 200 are deemed proficient, while students achieving a score of 250 or greater are deemed advanced proficient.

The use of standardized tests to compare schools and districts has been controversial because so many variables affect results, including gender, ethnicity, native languages and socio-economic status. But whether they are popular or not, the comparisons have become an unmovable part of the nation's education system.

Gov. Chris Christie's administration used the 2011 results to point to the disparities between affluent and poor districts in arguing that his reform agenda needs to be put in place.

“We approach these results today with both confidence and humility," acting Department of Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf said. "Overall, New Jersey students continue to perform at extremely high levels, and with few exceptions, the statewide numbers continue to inch upwards.

"However, we have a persistent achievement gap that leaves our economically disadvantaged, African-American and Hispanic students far behind their peers. It is a disgraceful legacy in New Jersey that leaves tens of thousands of students behind each year — and has for decades," Cerf continued. "We must be honest with ourselves and our communities about this achievement gap, and be impatient and relentless in doing everything we can to close it once and for all.”

For example, on the ASK3-8 tests, Hispanic students scored 27 percentage points and black students 33 percentage points below their peers in language arts. In math, Hispanic students scored 20 percentage points and black students 31 percentage points below their peers.

As stated at the top of this article, Gloucester Township Public Schools (GTPS) students generally fared well when compared to state averages, particularly in math, and saw some increases and some decreases when compared to its own scores from 2010. Click here to see full reports from the state. A summary of GTPS results are in the following charts:

District

ASK3

Partially Proficient

Proficient

Advanced Proficient

Lang. Arts 2011

46.4

50.1

3.4

Lang. Arts 2010

44.9

51.5

3.6

Math 2011

19.7

46.5

33.8

Math 2010

22.4

44.2

33.4

State Avg. Lang. Arts 2011

37

55.8

7.2

State Avg.  Math 2011

21.1

40.5

39.2

School 2011 ASK3

Lang. Arts Partially Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Proficient

(2010)

Lang. Arts Advanced Proficient

(2010)

Math Partially Proficient (2010)

Math Proficient

(2010)

Math Advanced Proficient

(2010)

Blackwood

53.6 (52)

44.6 (45.1)

1.8 (2.9)

20.5 (38.2)

57.1 (40.2)

22.3 (21.6)

Chews

50.4 (42)

47.4 (55.2)

2.3 (2.8)

20.3 (21)

37.6 (44.1)

42.1 (35)

Erial

38.3 (46.5)

59.4 (47.3)

2.3 (6.2)

17.9 (28.1)

53.7 (46.9)

28.4 (25)

Glendora

44.4 (36.4)

48.9 (61.8)

6.7 (1.8)

11.1 (14.5)

40 (47.3)

48.9 (38.2)

Gloucester

44.4 (33.3)

55.6 (63)

0 (3.7)

20.4 (18.5)

44.4 (40.7)

35.2 (40.7)

Lilley

63.6 (55.2)

33.7 (42.5)

3.1 (2.3)

24.5 (21.8)

44.9 (34.5)

30.6 (43.7)

Loring-Flemming

44.9 (46.4)

43.8 (50.9)

11.2 (2.7)

22.5 (15.5)

43.8 (53.6)

33.7 (30.9)

Union Valley

29.3 (39.8)

68.5 (54.8)

2.2 (5.4)

16.3 (15.1)

44.6 (43)

39.1 (41.9)

District

ASK4

Partially Proficient

Proficient

Advanced Proficient

Lang. Arts 2011

39.4

56.6

4.1

Lang. Arts 2010

43.8

51

5.3

Math 2011

19.9

48.6

31.5

Math 2010

25.2

47.5

27.3

Science 2011

7.7

47.7

44.6

Science 2010

5.2

58.3

36.5

State Avg. Lang. Arts 2011

37.3

55.5

7.2

State Avg. Math 2011

20.7

47.2

32.1

State Avg. Science 2011

10

42.3

47.7

School 2011 ASK4

Lang. Arts Partially Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Advanced Proficient (2010)

Math Partially Proficient (2010)

Math Proficient (2010)

Math Advanced Proficient (2010)

Blackwood

47.5 (54.2)

50.5 (41.5)

2  (4.2)

29.4 (24.4)

49 (52.1)

21.6 (23.5)

Chews

35.2 (40.7)

58.6 (52.7)

6.2 (6.7)

24.8 (27.3)

46.9 (43.3)

28.3 (29.3)

Erial

55.2 (36.4)

43.3 (58.2)

1.5 (5.5)

24.6 (30)

51.5(48.2)

23.9 (21.8)

Glendora

40 (36.6)

56.4 (51.2)

3.6 (12.2)

14.5 (14.6)

49.1 (46.3)

36.4 (39)

Gloucester

22.4 (47.2)

74.1 (47.2)

3.4 (5.7)

8.6 (18.9)

51.7 (49.1)

39.7 (32.1)

Lilley

39.1 (49.2)

58.6 (49.2)

2.3 (1.6)

17.2 (26.6)

46 (48.4)

36.8 (25)

Loring-Flemming

31.3 (40.7)

63.5 (53.7)

5.2 (5.6)

14.9 (23.9)

50 (45)

35.1 (31.2)

Union Valley

34.7 (42.1)

57.9 (52.6)

7.4 (5.3)

13.7 (25.2)

45.3 (48.7)

41.1 (26.1)

School

2011 ASK4-Science

Partially Proficient (2010)

Proficient (2010)

Advanced Proficient (2010)

Blackwood

11.8 (4.2)

48 (64.7)

40.2 (31.1)

Chews

6.9 (3.3)

54.9 (52.7)

38.2 (44)

Erial

9.7 (10)

58.2 (68.2)

32.1 (21.8)

Glendora

5.5 (2.4)

34.5 (46.3)

60 (51.2)

Gloucester

1.7 (1.9)

44.8 (52.8)

53.4 (45.3)

Lilley

11.5 (7.1)

43.7 (66.7)

44.8 (26.2)

Loring-Flemming

7 (5.5)

46.1 (53.2)

47 (41.3)

Union Valley

4.3 (4.4)

36.2 (51.8)

59.6 (43.9)

District

ASK5

Partially Proficient

Proficient

Advanced Proficient

Lang. Arts 2011

38.1

58.3

3.5

Lang. Arts 2010

39.2

54.9

5.9

Math 2011

16.3

43

40.6

Math 2010

19.9

43.2

36.9

State Avg. Lang. Arts 2011

39.1

54.8

6.1

State Avg. Math 2011

19.4

41.1

39.5

School 2011 ASK5

Lang. Arts Partially Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Advanced Proficient (2010)

Math Partially Proficient (2010)

Math Proficient (2010)

Math Advanced Proficient

(2010)

Blackwood

41.6 (39.3)

53.1 (54.2)

5.3 (6.5)

10.6 (17.8)

46.9 (36.4)

42.5 (45.8)

Chews

28.5 (37.5)

69.5 (55)

2 (7.5)

17.2 (25.6)

47.7 (36.3)

35.1 (38.1)

Erial

38.9 (47.1)

58.4 (49.7)

2.7 (3.2)

17 (20.6)

42 (53.5)

41.1 (25.8)

Glendora

29.5 (53.1)

68.2 (42.9)

2.3 (4.1)

18.2 (26.5)

38.6 (49)

43.2 (24.5)

Gloucester

29.5 (24.6)

68.2 (64.9)

2.3 (10.5)

18.2 (10.5)

38.6 (33.3)

43.2 (56.1)

Lilley

48.8 (37.4)

48 (56.6)

3.2 (6.1)

19.2 (19)

34.4 (40)

46.4 (41)

Loring-Flemming

44.5 (31.4)

48.2 (61.9)

7.3 (6.7)

20.9 (20)

44.5 (43.8)

34.5 (36.2)

Union Valley

44.2 (40.7)

54.9 (55.1)

0.9 (4.2)

17.7 (15.3)

43.4 (50)

38.9 (34.7)

District

ASK6

Partially Proficient

Proficient

Advanced Proficient

Lang. Arts 2011

36.2

60.7

3.1

Lang. Arts 2010

39.2

54.9

5.9

Math 2011

23.7

52.1

24.2

Math 2010

27.5

53.5

18.9

State Avg. Lang. Arts 2011

33.3

59.4

7.3

State Avg. Math 2011

22.7

49.8

27.6

School 2011 ASK6

Lang. Arts Partially Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Proficient (2010)

 Lang. Arts Advanced Proficient (2010)

Math Partially Proficient (2010)

Math Proficient (2010)

Math Advanced Proficient (2010)

Mullen

32 (33.3)

65.7 (61.8)

2.2 (4.8)

21.4 (24.5)

51.3 (52.2)

27.3 (23.4)

Lewis

41.8 (44.9)

55.9 (52.2)

2.3 (2.9)

30.9 (36.7)

54.5 (56)

14.5 (7.2)

Glen Landing

36.9 (35.2)

58.2 (62)

4.9 (2.8)

20.5 (24.8)

51.5 (53.5)

28 (21.6)

District

ASK7

Partially Proficient

Proficient

Advanced Proficient

Lang. Arts 2011

38.3

54.1

7.6

Lang. Arts 2010

34.5

56.2

9.3

Math 2011

32.8

43.4

23.8

Math 2010

36.7

43.4

19.9

State Avg. Lang. Arts 2011

36.7

51

12.3

State Avg. Math 2011

34.3

42.7

23.3

School 2011 ASK7

Lang. Arts Partially Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Advanced Proficient (2010)

Math Partially Proficient (2010)

Math Proficient (2010)

Math Advanced Proficient (2010)

Mullen

35.1 (28)

56.1 (59.8)

8.8 (12.2)

30.8 (34.3)

40.3 (43.9)

28.9 (21.8)

Lewis

45.5 (42.5)

49.1 (49.5)

5.4 (7.9)

35.9 (42.9)

49.3 (44.8)

14.8 (12.3)

Glen Landing

37 (37.2)

55.3 (56.3)

7.7 (6.6)

33.1 (35.4)

43 (41.7)

23.9 (22.9)

District

ASK8

Partially Proficient

Proficient

Advanced Proficient

Lang. Arts 2011

18.6

71.7

9.7

Lang. Arts 2010

16.4

73.2

10.4

Math 2011

29.1

48.4

22.5

Math 2010

31.7

46.5

21.7

Science 2011

21.3

65.3

13.5

Science 2010

19

62.2

18.9

State Avg. Lang. Arts 2011

17.8

63

19.1

State Avg. Math 2011

28.5

41.1

30.4

State Avg. Science 2011

18.8

51.9

29.3

School    2011 ASK8

Lang. Arts Partially Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Proficient (2010)

Lang. Arts Advanced Proficient (2010)

Math Partially Proficient (2010)

Math Proficient (2010)

Math Advanced Proficient (2010)

Mullen

16.1 (14.5)

73.1 (74.5)

10.8 (10.9)

25.3 (25.7)

50.1 (46)

24.5 (28.3)

Lewis

21.3 (19.7)

70 (73.6)

8.7 (6.7)

33.7 (37.5)

50 (47.6)

16.3 (14.9)

Glen Landing

20.1 (16.4)

70.9 (71.4)

9 (12.2)

30.8 (35.4)

45 (46.6)

24.2 (18)

School

2011 NJASK8-Science

Partially Proficient (2010)

Proficient (2010)

Advanced Proficient (2010)

Mullen

15.3 (16.6)

69.6 (61.3)

15.1 (22.1)

Lewis

31.3 (25.1)

60.1 (64.7)

8.7 (10.1)

Glen Landing

21.8 (17.8)

63.3 (61.5)

14.9 (20.7)