2006 CSAP Results Released

PSD Students Top Students Statewide on 2006 CSAP Tests

Poudre School District students continued to perform higher than students statewide in all 27 areas tested in spring 2006 on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) tests, announced August 2.

PSD’s district-wide average remains well ahead of state averages, from 6% to 19% higher in all subjects, at all grade levels. Overall, PSD students improved scores or remained the same on 18 of 27 tests. District averages dropped slightly on 7 tests; two tests, 5^th and 10^th-grade science, were given for the first time in spring 2006.

The scores provide a snapshot in time of PSD’s alignment of curriculum to standards. This is the 10^th year CSAP tests have been given, with results used to measure state and district effectiveness in delivering, and students’ skills in learning Colorado model content standards.

From1996 through 2000, tests were scored differently, so no strong comparisons can be made between early tests and those given the last six years. Starting in 2001, CDE changed the structure of the test to give a better indication of the academic growth of students.

“The test itself is excellent,” says Chuck DeWayne, PSD’s assessment and accreditation director. “It gives us good information on five levels—by student, classroom, grade level, school-wide, and district-wide—to help guide instruction. While we’re pleased that we continue to exceed the state averages at all grade levels, in all content areas, we can never be satisfied. We always strive for ways to improve in all areas.”

Among the highlights of this year’s CSAP scores:

PSD scores improved on 12 tests compared with 8 last year.
Reading scores remain stable, with 7 of 8 grades either holding steady or increasing.
PSD had significant gains in math, where scores increased in 5 of 8 grades.
This is the first year for 5^th and 10^th grade science tests to be given. The Colorado Department of Education is in the process of revising science standards for all grade levels, “re-benchmarking” or changing the number of standards per grade level. “Scores in 5^th and 10^th-grade science are all over the board, which is indicative of giving the test for the first time,” says DeWayne.

“The CSAP scores give us a really good starting point,” says Dr. Priscilla Huston, PSD director of curriculum and instruction. “But we don’t want to limit instructional decision-making to one test. We will be collecting data from other sources to identify patterns and help improve instruction.”

PSD uses data from other tests in addition to CSAP scores to assess student progress and improve instruction. Additional assessments include Levels tests at different grade levels, Measures of Academic Progress (MAPs), Diagnostic Reading Assessments (elementary grades), Scholastic Reading Inventories (secondary grades) and “common assessments” in several content areas.

The state and federal government use CSAP scores for other purposes. CSAP scores are used to calculate Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in conjunction with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal education legislation. The Colorado Department of Education is expected to release preliminary AYP calculations in mid-August. In addition, the scores are used to calculate School Accountability Reports (SARs), detailed school reports sent to parents each December or January.

What do the categories assigned to student scores actually mean? Students who placed in the two lower categories (unsatisfactory and partially proficient) are not proficient in one or more standards in the subject area being tested. Whereas, students rated proficient or advanced are performing at or above grade level in the subject area on the standards being tested.

It’s important to remember that a different group of students is tested each year in each subject and grade level, so comparisons from year to year do not provide relevant information on the gains individual students are making.

Parents will receive their students’ individual CSAP results from their school early this fall. These reports will detail each student’s progress toward meeting standards, and provide an explanation of the performance categories.

Results of the ACT test given to all 11^th graders in the spring normally released in conjunction with CSAP scores are not being released by the CDE at this time.

For additional information, contact Chuck DeWayne, director of assessment and accreditation, at 567-2388, or Dr. Priscilla Huston, director of curriculum and instruction, at 490-3667.

Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) Scores
Poudre School District and State, 2005, 2005 and 2006

Subject	Grade	2004 PSD % at/above Proficient	2004 State % at/above Proficient	2005 PSD % at/above Proficient	2005 State % at/above Proficient	2006 PSD % at/above Proficient	2006 State % at/above Proficient
Reading	3*	86	74	80	71	80	70
Reading	4	77	63	77	64	79	68
Reading	5	79	69	79	69	81	70
Reading	6	82	67	83	67	83	69
Reading	7	74	61	76	64	76	64
Reading	8	74	64	77	64	77	66
Reading	9	82	66	79	65	81	66
Reading	10	74	65	76	66	74	68
Writing	3	67	52	65	56	64	52
Writing	4	67	53	62	52	62	50
Writing	5	68	55	68	57	73	59
Writing	6	74	56	77	59	78	59
Writing	7	66	52	66	56	70	56
Writing	8	60	49	65	51	61	51
Writing	9	71	53	68	52	70	52
Writing	10	62	50	62	50	60	50
Math	3	-	-	75	68	80	71
Math	4	-	-	74	66	78	69
Math	5	69	59	68	63	76	65
Math	6	71	53	71	56	71	57
Math	7	55	41	54	46	55	45
Math	8	51	41	56	44	53	45
Math	9	48	32	48	33	56	38
Math	10	39	27	44	30	42	31
**Science	5	-	-	-	-	50	37
Science	8	65	51	64	50	60	50
**Science	10	-	-	-	-	54	47