The Thompson School District ranked below the state average in language arts and above it overall in science and math on standardized tests for last school year.
But across those categories, the district saw a performance dip at the middle school levels, according to assessment results released by the Colorado Department of Education on Thursday.
While Dawne Huckaby, the interim chief academic officer, could not specifically explain why there was a dip at the middle school level, she did say that a low participation rate in those grades could be a factor. Only 50 percent to 60 percent of students at district middle schools took the tests, making it difficult to get an accurate picture of achievement, according to Huckaby.
Overall statewide, 44.5 percent of third- through eighth-graders met or exceeded expectations in English language arts on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success compared with 42.8 percent in the Thompson School District.
Students in Loveland and Berthoud schools exceeded the state in this ranking for third, fourth and fifth grades but dipped below the state in the three middle school grades.
On the math assessment, 34.1 percent met or exceeded expectations statewide compared with 35.4 percent within the Thompson School District.
Again, the three elementary school grades surpassed the state average, while the middle schools dipped below except in seventh grade, where the state averaged 28.8 percent and Thompson 28.9 percent.
The district is likely seeing the results of an elementary math curriculum adopted four years ago, Huckaby said. However, the district has not had the money to adopt the curriculum at the middle school level.
For science, 31.2 percent met or exceeded expectations in the state, while 32.7 percent achieved that level within the Thompson School District. This test was taken by students in fifth grade, eighth grade and high school.
Fifth-grade and high school students in the district ranked higher than the state, while eighth grade hit 30.1 percent compared with 31.2 statewide.
While Loveland and Berthoud students did not meet the state at all levels across all tests, the data showed growth among the schools within the Thompson School District, said Huckaby.
“While we may not be quite at the state level, as long as we are moving toward that, we’re moving in the right direction,” she said, explaining that the district will use this data to continue to work toward meeting the students’ needs and helping each student grow.
“We’re improving the percentages for our students that are meeting and exceeding and making up that gap.”
Some highlights, according to Huckaby, include:
• Growth in English language arts at the high school level was 5 points ahead of the state.
• Growth in high school mathematics registered a 9 point increase to reach the state median.
• Students who took the SAT in 11th grade marked 10 points above the state average and four points ahead of the district rankings the previous year.
• Middle school language arts, though below the state median, recorded higher growth within the district than it did the previous year.
Pamela Johnson: 970-699-5405, johnsonp@reporter-herald.com.
