Local schools receive assessments of math, reading

The U.S. Department of Education released math and reading assessment scores for the 2008-11 school years for all public schools. This is the first time the department has released school assessment data in an effort to become more transparent.

Eighteen schools in the Monroe County Community School Corporation were included in the report with different numbers of students assessed at each school. On average, 78 percent of students in MCCSC were proficient in reading and 81 percent in math for the 2010-11 school year. Childs Elementary performed best in math during the three years, with 93, 94 and 95 percent of students, respectively, deemed proficient.

Fairview Elementary performed the poorest, with 50 to 54 percent of the students assessed in the 2010-2011 deemed proficient. This was down from 2009-2010’s 60 to 64 percent of proficient students.

Childs also performed the best in reading, with 92, 94 and 92 percent of students rated proficient. Fairview again performed the poorest with 45 to 49 percent of students proficient for all three years.

Chris Finley, principal at Childs, said students at his school know what is expected of them and the teachers, many of whom have been in their position for many years, are tremendous. He said many veteran teachers are good at helping the newer teachers.

“We have a great group of teachers that have been around a long time,” he said.

He said parents are very supportive of their children and everyone strives to do what is best for the students.

Finley said students focus on reading, writing and being good problem solvers and their librarian is “amazing.”

The school assesses student performance and evaluates what course of action is most appropriate depending on whether students have learned what they should have.

“I think Childs is a very comfortable school,” he said. “The expectations are really high.”

The school recently received a grant from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division to open a science lab and provide students with additional “hands-on” learning opportunities.

“We’ve seen big gains across the district,” Finley said.