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EDUCATION

Livingston schools’ test scores flat

  • By DAVID J. MITCHELL
  • Advocate Florida parishes bureau
  • Published: May 14, 2008 - Page: 12A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

LIVINGSTON — Livingston Parish public schools continue to struggle to break through a plateau in scores at the upper-middle and high-school levels on state standardized tests.

But a school official who heads analysis of test scores said that students in those grades have not lost ground against their top-performing peers overall.

Alan “Joe” Murphy, supervisor of instruction, said it is hard to pick out any broad trends beyond that in results from the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program, Graduate Exit Exam and iLEAP test scores released last week.

“It’s really a mixed bag. It’s very difficult to ascertain any kind of trend,” he said Friday.

LEAP and GEE are high-stakes tests that fourth- and eighth-graders or high school students must take to advance a grade or graduate.

The iLEAP is given to third-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and ninth-graders. Passing iLEAP is not required for promotion to the next grade, but is considered a LEAP and GEE performance indicator.

On all three tests, students can score at advanced, mastery, basic, approaching basic and unsatisfactory. Louisiana’s goal is for all students to score at basic or above by 2014.

On the one hand, Livingston Parish fourth- and eighth-graders and high school students have kept themselves above state averages on passing their respective tests on the LEAP, school officials said.

For example, 86 percent of fourth-graders and 81 percent of eighth-graders who were initial test takers scored at the basic/approaching basic combination on English and math that is required for promotion on LEAP.

The state average is 76 percent for fourth-graders and 69 percent for eighth-graders for the same English-math combination.

On iLEAP scores across all grade levels that take the test, similar differences exist between parish schools and the state on students who score at basic or better.

The percentage of Livingston Parish students  who scored at basic or better on English, math, social studies and science in 2008 is in the mid- to upper 70s, results show. Average percentages statewide are generally in the low to mid-60s.

At the same time, Livingston is slightly behind some of the best-performing school systems on state tests in some cases.


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Joe
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
6:49 AM

10 percent above the State average is pretty good but it it like comparing an "F" to a "D".
Concerned Parent
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
8:12 AM

Just makes you wonder why the Livingston Parish Schoolboard continues to revere the teachers and reward them with above average raises and bonuses that cannot be afforded. This effectively endorses them doing a mediocre job. Try getting a raise like that in the real working world where poor job performance will result in losing one's job. It's time for performance style raises and bonuses only to be used for teachers. Enough of comparing their performance to other Louisiana Parishes. Compare the statistics to a nationwide sampling.
richard
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
8:21 AM

I don't think they are doing a mediocre job and for sure they are not doing poorly. The 4th graders are 10 percent above the state average and the 8th graders are 12 percent above the state average.
Susie
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
9:34 AM

The schools are to large. The high school is out of control. They need to build a second High School in Denham. I am for strick dress code but stress more on grades for those average students. DSHS has a few great teachers that really take a interest in there students.
Joe
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
9:43 AM

I have to wonder about how they teach. It seems to me they only focous on teaching the LEAP test to obtain these ratings.
RuUp2It
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
1:04 PM

Spend more time daily with your child(ren) one on one reviewing / practicing / understanding what they are being taught. Assume the teachers are doing their jobs, and you can take your child(ren) to the next level. The averages will increase another 10 to 12%. Livingston parish has reason to be proud of where their students rank, but should also look for positive directives for improvement, or at least try to help us by supplying the best possible environment for learning. Take personal responsibility and accountability for further improvements, and show your child(ren) that their education is your top priority. You all know they learn by observing those around them (look in the mirror).
another concerned parent
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
1:15 PM

I bet they are number one in the state for enforcing rules. They are more interested in lining the boys up, pulling down their bangs to see if they touch their eyebrows (ten class days before the end of the school year) than measuring and developing individual performances for additional educational growth. I assume the theory is to remain focused on discipline and rules and this will encourage the students to be better performers. Especially since they won't have that pesky hair to distract them...
Jimmy
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
1:50 PM

Standardized testing is the best way to go, as long as the MAJORITY shows improvement. It is not a good idea to tie raises and bonuses to an exam which is taken by students. Teachers should be rewarded for the job they do, don't base it on a test taken by kids. The issues with DSHS and their enforcement of rules and regulations are because parents of students ARE NOT. If you uphold the rules and regulations, there are no distractions in the classroom and students can learn the way it is intended to. If liberal parents would control and teach their kids respect, teachers might get more done in the classroom.
TLab
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
7:38 PM

Teachers have only limited control of what goes on in their classroom. Parents should be held accountable for "their" job. Teaching respect, following rules, following dress code, completing homework, etc. These are all examples of responsibilities that parent must help with. As far as raises and bonuses are concernced, a teacher can only do so much with their students while in the classroom. Once that child leaves for the day, it is a parents' job to follow throught and make sure the child completes his/her homework, reads with the child, etc. What about parents that work two jobs and cannot find time to sit with that child and complete homework? Is that the teacher' fault? Is that the child's fault? Is that the parent's fault? "Concerned Parent" - I highly doubt you have ever stepped foot inside a classrom. As for enforcing the dress code, what happens at your place of employment if you do not follow the dress code rules repeatedly? Do you get detention? A note home? I think not! You probably get fired!!!! Livingston Parish is preparing students for life. If you don't like it, take your child to another school system!
Teacher
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
9:37 PM

I am a teacher and I can tell you that we work VERY hard. We are not teaching "just to the test". We have guidelines to follow as to what we must teach, even when we must teach it. I am glad for those who understand that teachers are not miracle workers. We can prepare and teach the best lessons everyday, but unless it is reinforced at HOME, the message and lesson is lost in the classroom. This includes homework, rules, discipline, etc..... I have taught long enough to understand the correlation between grades and home. Students who have parents that support them, encourage them, expect them to do their best at school, expect them to follow the rules are the ones who excel in the classroom. I am continually amazed by parents who assume that it is the school's responsibility to raise their children between the hours of 8:00am and 3:30pm (or whatever time school is in session). The "what happens at school stays at school" is a mentality that must go if children are to be successful!!! Parenting is a 24-hour job, to be done primarily by the parent, not the school. The reason why school districts excel is because the teachers are dedicated first and foremost to their students and their students' educations, and because parents support and encourage their students at home and have the same expectations of them at home as they do for them at school.
Don
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
9:45 PM

I encourage anyone who thinks teachers don't do enough for the pay they get to visit a school and spend time in the classrooms. I promise that you will come away thinking differently!
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