Schools Already Preparing for Reading Test
This week, school bells have been ringing across the Coast as students head back to school and hit the books. Even though classes are just starting, Coast school districts are already preparing their students for end of the year tests.
Last year, the Biloxi Public Schools’ third graders had a 99 percent pass rate for the reading gateway test. Plans are already underway to take these scores to the next level.
Last year, Popp’s Ferry Elementary School was the big kid on the block, boasting a 97 percent pass rate for their third graders on the reading gate test. Principal Dr.Todd Boucher said, “We were very successful on the reading test. We had a good plan in place and we executed that plan and I think we’re starting off this year on the same footing.”
That plan begins next week by giving students a pre-test on their reading skills. “It’s imperative that we give these screeners at the beginning of the year to see what we have to work with and which students may need a little more individualized attention,” said Boucher.
After all the retests, 99 percent of third graders in Biloxi public schools passed the first ever reading gate, allowing them to advance to the fourth grade. Administrators say they owe that to a district-wide plan they roll out every year, with room for each individual school to address their own needs. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Janice Johnson said, “Each principal has their own autonomy to address their own school’s specific needs. And Popp’s Ferry did that, as well as the other four schools.”
Boucher and his staff can’t take all the credit. He believes students being exposed to tests early has helped them adapt. “Students have become accustomed to taking tests and I believe it’s become easier for them. The anxiety that may have been there years ago is not as prevalent.”
While Popp’s Ferry did extremely well on the reading test, Boucher says that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. “Well, I don’t want to say we’re going to stick with the exact same plan because we didn’t get 100 percent. So, we know that we still have some areas of growth we still have to work on, so we have a game plan and we’re going to follow that game plan.”
But in the end, it isn’t the test or passage percentage that matters so much, but ensuring each child is best prepared to move on to the next grade.
Last year, the Biloxi Public Schools’ third graders had a 99 percent pass rate for the reading gateway test. Plans are already underway to take these scores to the next level.
Last year, Popp’s Ferry Elementary School was the big kid on the block, boasting a 97 percent pass rate for their third graders on the reading gate test. Principal Dr.Todd Boucher said, “We were very successful on the reading test. We had a good plan in place and we executed that plan and I think we’re starting off this year on the same footing.”
That plan begins next week by giving students a pre-test on their reading skills. “It’s imperative that we give these screeners at the beginning of the year to see what we have to work with and which students may need a little more individualized attention,” said Boucher.
After all the retests, 99 percent of third graders in Biloxi public schools passed the first ever reading gate, allowing them to advance to the fourth grade. Administrators say they owe that to a district-wide plan they roll out every year, with room for each individual school to address their own needs. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Janice Johnson said, “Each principal has their own autonomy to address their own school’s specific needs. And Popp’s Ferry did that, as well as the other four schools.”
Boucher and his staff can’t take all the credit. He believes students being exposed to tests early has helped them adapt. “Students have become accustomed to taking tests and I believe it’s become easier for them. The anxiety that may have been there years ago is not as prevalent.”
While Popp’s Ferry did extremely well on the reading test, Boucher says that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. “Well, I don’t want to say we’re going to stick with the exact same plan because we didn’t get 100 percent. So, we know that we still have some areas of growth we still have to work on, so we have a game plan and we’re going to follow that game plan.”
But in the end, it isn’t the test or passage percentage that matters so much, but ensuring each child is best prepared to move on to the next grade.
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