HARTFORD--Connecticut's standardized test results are in, and they show big improvements in our students' learning across the board.
Friday morning, Governor Dannel Malloy, State Department of Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell, and Department of Labor Commissioner Scott Jackson are scheduled to hold a news conference to discuss the state’s results on the Smarter Balanced exam – known as the SBAC exam. They are also expected to speak on job growth as well, all starting at 10 A.M. at the Connecticut Science Center, in Hartford.
The Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium test is taken by students in third through eighth grade, and this year's results show that 3.3 percent more students met or exceeded the achievement standard for English language arts, while 3.9 percent more students met or exceeded the standard in math. The baseline was the 2014-2015 school year, the first year the new tests focusing on critical thinking were administered.
In all, 55.7 percent of students met or exceeded standards for ELA, and 44 percent for math.
In a statement sent to Fox 61, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said,“These successes are valuable indicators that we are on the right track today, and they position us for a stronger tomorrow. I commend our teachers and educators for their hard work, and our students on these accomplishments.”
Other state leaders are also voicing their reaction to the results. "I especially want to congratulate our Alliance Districts and Commissioner’s Network schools that demonstrated that hard work, innovation, and commitment to positive culture and rigorous academics can impact student outcomes," Department of Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell said. "It is incumbent on us to examine what is working in these schools and districts so that we can share successful strategies with our peers across the state."
In ELA, six Alliance Districts improved by 5 percentage points or higher:
- Bloomfield: 6.1 points
- East Haven: 7.2 points
- New Haven: 5.0 points
- Norwich: 5.1 points
- West Haven: 5.1 points
- Windham: 8.7 points.
In math, 10 districts improved by 5 points or higher:
- Ansonia: 5.5 points
- Bloomfield: 5.9 points
- East Haven: 6.4 points
- Killingly: 5.4 points
- Meriden: 7.1 points
- Putnam: 10.3 points
- Vernon: 5.1 points
- West Haven: 10.3 points
- Windham: 6.6 points
- Windsor Locks: 7.9 points
Hartford Public Schools are now saying they had improved scores in math in 24 of their schools and improved scores in English Language Arts in 22 schools. New Haven Public Schools said they saw improvement in both subjects in 90 percent of their schools.
The results were also broken up by race. Overall, 31.4 percent of black students and 33.2 percent of Hispanic students met or exceeded expectations in ELA, and 17.6 percent of black students and 21.2 percent of Hispanic students met or exceeded standards in math. That's more than 3 percentage points better than results from the 2014-2015 year. As for white students, 68.6 percent of white students met or exceeded expectations for ELA and 56.9 percent did for math.
"In Connecticut, we remain fiercely committed to the work of supporting all districts — and especially our highest need districts — in their efforts to improve student outcomes and close achievement gaps," Wentzell said.