Document text
CLEAR Temp: 82 °F Wind: N at 4 mph Friday, August 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 10, 2003 Student grades improve slightly But Jackson County schools struggle to meet state standards By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune With the exception of Ashland’s students, at least 50 percent of all Jackson County 10th-graders failed to meet state standards in one of four core subject areas tested during the 2002-03 school year. The Oregon Department of Education on Friday released the latest round of assessment scores, which showed a slight improvement for most grade levels statewide. The annual evaluation examines reading and math skills of third-, fifth- and eighth- graders and the reading, math, writing and math problem-solving skills of 10th-grade students. Overall, the county’s secondary schools struggled to meet state standards for the third consecutive year. However, local elementary schools tended to maintain or improve their scores. District-wide, Medford and Ashland students posted scores higher than the state-wide averages at nearly all grade levels, while other districts achieved mixed results. Advertisement "We’re still looking for a trend," said Tim Mobley, Phoenix-Talent School District’s curriculum director. "There’s a lot of information to process." Like other school systems, Phoenix-Talent noted strong gains in many areas while student scores declined in other subjects. For example, Orchard Hill Elementary third- and fifth-grade students made strides in their math scores while 75 percent of 10th-graders failed to meet the state’s math requirements. In 2001-02, only 60 percent of Phoenix 10th-graders fell below the state’s benchmark for math. "We still have some work to do," said Mobley, who noted the high school will implement a program called Freshman Academy in the fall aimed at improving the overall performance of incoming students. The situation at Phoenix High School isn’t unique. Of the 13 Jackson County schools with 10th-graders, seven posted scores below the state average in reading and 10 were lower in math. Educators say that’s because the state’s standards rise dramatically at the eighth- and 10th-grade levels. In addition, secondary schools must cope with a significant drop-off in student participation and an increased drop-out rate — two factors that officials say aren’t key issues facing most elementary schools. Although Crater High School 10th-graders posted lower scores in writing and math problem solving, students made significant strides in math and reading. "I think the kids are really feeling good about their performance," said Assistant Principal Todd Bloomquist, who credits the gain on a focused approach to curriculum, dedicated teaching staff, innovative programs and community support. "A lot of time has gone into working with the kids individually." Curriculum director Phil Long is also pleased with the performance of Medford students. Long was anticipating a decrease in Medford scores overall thanks to new state requirements that expand state testing to include a number of students in special education, and was pleased to note an overall increase. "We tested a greater percentage of our students," said Long, who added that even though Medford continues to score slightly below the state average, strides were made in 2002-03 at individual schools such as Roosevelt, Howard and North Medford in various subjects. "It’s just good news for our whole community." Performances among younger students varied. Third graders in every district but Phoenix-Talent and Eagle Point scored higher than the statewide average for reading. The reading scores of fifth- graders at Eagle Point, Prospect, Central Point and Butte Falls districts posted below state averages, while all other local school systems ranked higher. Third graders at the Phoenix-Talent and Rogue River districts ranked below state averages in math, and fifth-graders at the Butte Falls and Rogue River districts lagged behind the state’s math average. In eighth-grade reading tests, performances at eight of the 12 schools dropped in 2002-03 compared to 2001-02. However, eighth-graders at 10 of the 12 middle schools posted moderate to strong gains on their math scores this year. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times