Students Improve In Reading, Math

The state’s fourth- and seventh-graders are doing better in reading and math, pleasing educators who have been hard at work to bring more students up to Washington’s tough new academic standards.

State schools Superintendent Terry Bergeson and Gov. Gary Locke on Tuesday released official results of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, the state’s mandatory test to gauge student achievement.

Last spring, about 215,000 students in grades four, seven and 10 took the test. Tenth-graders took it for the first time last spring.

Statewide, there was an overall increase in the number of students meeting the state standards in both reading and math, compared with last year’s scores.

The percentage of students state-wide meeting the listening standards remained unchanged in the fourth grade, though listening scores were up for seventh-graders.

“These gains are the direct result of the hard work and commitment of thousands of teachers and other school staff across Washington,” Bergeson said. “They also reflect the benefit of staying the course with our state’s school improvement strategy.”

Statewide, fourth-grade reading scores improved from 55.6 percent of students last year who met or exceeded the state standards to 59.1 percent this year. Seventh-graders went up from 38.4 percent to 40.8 percent in reading.

Fourth-grade math scores jumped from 31.2 percent last year to 37.3 percent this year. Seventh-graders, meanwhile climbed from 20.1 percent last year to 24.2 percent this year.

Fourth-grade listening scores held steady at about 71 percent, while seventh-graders improved from 80.2 percent last year to 87.2 percent this year.

The testing system, introduced in 1997, is at the center of Washington’s education reform.

This marks the third year fourth-graders have taken the test and the second time for seventh-graders.

Due to a scoring problem, the state has postponed until late October the release of students’ writing scores, the fourth skill on which students are tested.

Spokane-area school districts saw their test scores go up and down, depending on the grade level and subject area. But overall, improvements outpaced drops in scores.

“I’m pleased that the state is progressing and that we are showing significant improvement each year,” said Joan Kingrey, assistant superintendent of Mead School District. “We are well ahead of where we have to be.”

The Mead School District saw improvements across the board, except for a dip in fourth-grade listening scores.

School districts have until 2001 to reduce by 25 percent the number of fourth-graders not meeting the reading standards. The same must be done with the other subject areas, though schedules have not yet been set.

Bergeson noted that academic growth crossed all economic boundaries as well as racial and ethnic groups across the state, a positive sign that improvements are reaching all students.

Spokane District 81, the state’s second-largest school district - where about 50 percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunch - is echoing that trend.

Gary Livingston, superintendent of District 81, said his district has seen some of its biggest gains in its schools with the highest poverty rates.

“We’ve got some schools in poverty areas that are breaking the norm,” Livingston said.

He added that the gains are the direct result of well-focused efforts to improve student learning.

District 81 also made improvements across the board, except for its fourth-grade listening score, which was slightly lower.