For the second year in a row, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) results for English-Language Arts (ELA) have been better than Roselle Park’s standardized test scores for math. The 2015-16 scores for ELA show that ⅔ of classes had the majority of students who took the test meet or exceed grade-level expectations.
PARCC is separated into two major sections (English Language Arts & Math) and five levels:
- LEVEL 1: Did Not Yet Meet Grade-Level Expectations
- LEVEL 2: Partially Met Grade-Level Expectations
- LEVEL 3: Approached Grade-Level Expectations
- LEVEL 4: Met Grade-Level Expectations
- LEVEL 5: Exceeded Grade-Level Expectations
Below are the scores for each class for the 2015-16 school year. Grades 6, 8, and 10 were the only classes where less than a majority of test takers scored at level 4 or above.
| Grade | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 & 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8.6% | 13.6% | 22.2% | 47.5% | 8.0% | 55.5% |
| 4 | 7.0% | 8.9% | 28.0% | 49.0% | 7.0% | 56.0% |
| 5 | 2.0% | 10.6% | 27.2% | 55.0% | 5.3% | 60.3% |
| 6 | 1.9% | 16.7% | 34.0% | 41.7% | 5.8% | 47.5% |
| 7 | 5.1% | 13.8% | 23.9% | 40.6% | 16.7% | 57.3% |
| 8 | 2.4% | 19.3% | 29.5% | 31.9% | 16.9% | 48.8% |
| 9 | 2.8% | 11.9% | 23.8% | 50.3% | 11.2% | 61.5% |
| 10 | 12.3% | 12.3% | 32.3% | 38.1% | 5.2% | 43.3% |
| 11 | 3.1% | 8.1% | 26.3% | 50.0% | 12.5% | 62.5% |
In comparing the first year of PARCC with the second year, the only grade to show a decline in achievement was the 8th grade with 23% less students meeting or exceeded grade-level expectations. The ninth graders had an almost 100% increase in students who scored at a level 4 or above.
In his presentation, Mr. Salvo presented the differences of students who met or exceeded expectations by adding or subtracting percentages between years. Matthew Leingang, at that meeting, stated that the percentage change between years should have been divided to accurately determine the differences. This newspaper concurs with Mr. Leingang and presents the following percentage change between the first and second years of PARCC.
| Grade | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 51.1% | 55.5% | 8.6% |
| 4 | 53.8% | 56.0% | 4.1% |
| 5 | 57.1% | 60.3% | 5.6% |
| 6 | 37.6% | 47.5% | 26.3% |
| 7 | 48.2% | 57.3% | 18.9% |
| 8 | 63.9% | 48.8% | -23.6% |
| 9 | 31.4% | 61.5% | 95.9% |
| 10 | 38.7% | 43.3% | 11.9% |
| 11 | 43.8% | 62.5% | 42.7% |
The data from the New Jersey Department Of Education (NJDOE) shows the results for each school among other sub-groups. The 2015-16 scores per school show that Robert Gordon and Sherman schools had all students who took the PARCC ELA test meet or exceed expectations. Roselle Park High School (RPHS) had two of the three grades who took the test have a majority of students who scored at level 4 and 5. EJF/Aldene and the middle school had one grade meet and exceed expectations.
| Grade | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 & 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6.4% | 23.4% | 23.4% | 46.8% | 0.0% | 46.8% |
| 4 | 12.5% | 16.7% | 29.2% | 39.6% | 2.1% | 41.7% |
| 5 | 2.2% | 17.4% | 28.3% | 50.0% | 2.2% | 52.2% |
| 3 | 10.0% | 12.0% | 26.0% | 46.0% | 6.0% | 52.0% |
| 4 | 7.8% | 5.9% | 25.5% | 52.9% | 7.8% | 60.7% |
| 5 | 2.4% | 4.9% | 26.8% | 56.1% | 9.8% | 65.9% |
| 3 | 9.2% | 7.7% | 18.5% | 49.2% | 15.4% | 64.6% |
| 4 | 1.7% | 5.2% | 29.3% | 53.4% | 10.4% | 63.7% |
| 5 | 1.6% | 9.4% | 26.6% | 57.8% | 4.7% | 62.5% |
| 6 | 1.9% | 16.7% | 34.0% | 41.7% | 5.8% | 47.5% |
| 7 | 5.1% | 13.8% | 23.9% | 40.6% | 16.7% | 57.3% |
| 8 | 2.4% | 19.3% | 29.5% | 31.9% | 16.9% | 48.8% |
| 9 | 2.8% | 11.9% | 23.8% | 50.3% | 11.2% | 61.5% |
| 10 | 12.3% | 12.3% | 32.3% | 38.1% | 5.2% | 43.3% |
| 11 | 3.1% | 8.1% | 26.3% | 50.0% | 12.5% | 62.5% |
Even with those instances, almost all grades in each school had an increase in the percentage of students who met or exceeded their grade-level expectations.
| Grade | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 42.9% | 46.8% | 9.1% |
| 4 | 57.8% | 41.7% | -27.9% |
| 5 | 50.0% | 52.2% | 4.4% |
| 3 | 47.9% | 52.0% | 8.6% |
| 4 | 57.5% | 60.7% | 5.6% |
| 5 | 50.0% | 65.9% | 31.8% |
| 3 | 60.4% | 64.6% | 7.0% |
| 4 | 48.4% | 63.7% | 31.6% |
| 5 | 70.6% | 62.5% | -11.5% |
| 6 | 37.6% | 47.5% | 26.3% |
| 7 | 48.2% | 57.3% | 18.9% |
| 8 | 63.9% | 48.8% | -23.6% |
| 9 | 31.4% | 61.5% | 95.9% |
| 10 | 38.7% | 43.3% | 11.9% |
| 11 | 43.8% | 62.5% | 42.7% |
When comparing RPSD with other school districts in its grouping reveals that only grades 6 and 8 were lower than the district factor group (DFG) average.
| Grade | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 55.5% | 47.1% |
| 4 | 56.0% | 51.9% |
| 5 | 60.3% | 50.5% |
| 6 | 47.5% | 50.8% |
| 7 | 57.3% | 52.4% |
| 8 | 48.8% | 49.9% |
| 9 | 61.5% | 44.2% |
| 10 | 43.3% | 40.2% |
| 11 | 62.5% | 34.7% |
As far as the state average, RPSD fared better than the state average of test takes with the exception of grades 8 and 10.
| Grade | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 55.5% | 47.5% |
| 4 | 56.0% | 53.5% |
| 5 | 60.3% | 53.3% |
| 6 | 47.5% | 52.3 |
| 7 | 57.3% | 56.3% |
| 8 | 48.8% | 55.2% |
| 9 | 61.5% | 49.0% |
| 10 | 43.3% | 44.3% |
| 11 | 62.5% | 40.0% |
The passing score for PARCC is 750. RPSD, as an average, reached that marker except for the 10th grade students. Even then, the average score of 742 was higher than the state and other school districts in the same grouping.
| Grade | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 752 | 746 | 746 |
| 4 | 750 | 749 | 751 |
| 5 | 755 | 749 | 751 |
| 6 | 750 | 749 | 750 |
| 7 | 761 | 750 | 753 |
| 8 | 754 | 749 | 753 |
| 9 | 757 | 743 | 747 |
| 10 | 742 | 738 | 741 |
| 11 | 759 | 733 | 738 |
Finally, comparing each grade as they proceed through the school system in the borough shows that only those student bodies who were 5th graders and 8th graders in the 2014-15 school year – and were 6th and 9th graders respectively in the 2015-16 school year – had a decline in the percentage of test takers who met or exceeded grade level expectations.
| Grade | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 51.1% | 4 | 56.0% | 9.6% |
| 4 | 53.8% | 5 | 60.3% | 12.1% |
| 5 | 57.1% | 6 | 47.5% | -16.8% |
| 6 | 37.6% | 7 | 57.3% | 52.4% |
| 7 | 48.2% | 8 | 48.8% | 1.2% |
| 8 | 63.9% | 9 | 61.5% | -3.8% |
| 9 | 31.4% | 10 | 43.3% | 37.9% |
| 10 | 38.7% | 11 | 62.5% | 61.5% |
A subsequent article will provide more in-depth information on the raw data provided by the NJ DOE.