The Franklin News-Post
P. O. Box 250
310 Main Street, SW
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151
540-483-5113
Fax: 540-483-8013
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Friday, September 21, 2012
By STACEY HAIRSTON - Staff Writer
Franklin County students scored an average of 75 percent on the new, more rigorous math SOL tests, surpassing the state average of 68 percent.
However, the 75 percent average is 24 percentage points lower than the previous year's math test scores, according to data released by the VDOE (Virginia Department of Education) last week.
The new math SOL tests were given to students for the first time last year.
The VDOE data separates students into subgroups within the school divisions and compares their scores to other school divisions throughout the commonwealth.
In Franklin County, Asian students scored highest on the new math SOL test with an average of 92 percent, which is five points higher than other Asian students in the state. The math score of Asians in Franklin County the previous year was 95.
White students scored the next highest with an average of 77 percent, two percentage points higher than the state average and 13 points lower than their score from the previous year.
Economically disadvantaged students in the county scored 69 percent, 15 points higher than their counterparts in the state and 17 points lower than their score from the previous year.
Hispanic students scored 68 percent, which is seven points above the state average and 19 points lower than their score from the previous year.
Black students scored 62 percent, which is 10 percentage points higher than other black students in Virginia, but 20 points lower than their score from the previous year.
Students who have limited English proficiency scored 53 percent, six points higher than the state average and 23 points lower than their score from the previous year.
Students with disabilities had a score of 45 percent, which is five points higher than the state average and 23 points lower than their score from the previous year.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright said the results represent the beginning of a new trend in mathematics achievement.
"What matters now is where we go from here," Wright said. "At the state level, we must set aggressive but attainable annual objectives for narrowing and ultimately closing these achievement gaps. At the local level, instructional leaders must make sure that teaching in the classroom is aligned with the new standards."
The Reading SOL's students will take this school year (2012-2013) will reflect more rigorous standards adopted by the Board of Education in 2010. Like the new math tests, the new reading tests will include technology-enhanced items as well as traditional multiple-choice questions. |
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