44°
Reading proficiency in the Peekskill City School District has increased in some grades in recent years but there is still plenty of room for improvement. That was the finding of an independent reading evaluation report funded by the district, which was presented to school officials Tuesday night.
The study, which was done from March to May, found rising scores in third grade from 2006 to 2009 with a drop in 2010 that corresponded to scores across the state attributed to more difficult testing. Sheryl Goffman, a former teacher who oversaw the study, said the cohort growth was a good sign for the district.
When you see different students at the same grades achieving better scores as years go on, typically its because instruction is improving, Goffman said.
The teachers are working in a different manner. They are using the test data and planning and instructing based on what they know about their students from how the performed in the past on the tests.
Grade 4 showed inconsistent scores while grades 5-8 stayed relatively flat. Goffman also said upper elementary and middle school grades were not meeting adequate yearly progress as determined by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 for student with disabilities. The data report presentation is included in the attached slide show and a video of the meeting will be broadcast on the citys cable access channel later at a later date.
The most concerning numbers was the number of students achieving reading mastery in their grade, Goffman said.
You have a very low percent of students achieving mastery levels according to state levels, Goffman said. You sometimes have one percent of students in a grade achieving mastery, and the most is ten percent in any year. Its way below what would be expected.
The study also included an anonymous survey of 56 reading teachers, who gave their impression of the strengths and weaknesses of their program. Only five general education classroom teachers in grades 4, 5 and 6 responded to the online survey on www.surveymonkey.com, a number that shocked board members.
Thats a disgrace, said Trustee Tuesday McDonald. This shouldnt have been optional. Goffman recommended more guided readings in small groups, and said that current guided reading groups were too big to be effective. Good guided reading is no more than six kids, Goffman said. Bigger groups are too large for one-on-one assessment.
Resident Kenny Mosley said he and his wife were concerned with the reading scores of their children since moving to Peekskill and asked the board why they werent seeing many textbooks coming home with their children
One of the things Im mainly concerned about is growing up we always had textbooks as a point of reference so we could help our children know whats going on, so Im wondering why the system has gotten away from textbooks, Mosley said.
Superintendent Larry Lacopli told Mosley the study was part of a major review of the districts reading program and that all materials and methods were being reevaluated.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Peekskill and receive free news updates.
