Andrew,
There is a factor that you must consider when rendering an opinion on test scores……the change in attitude between the 8th and 11th grade. Younger students tend to want to try their best on these test just to please their parents and teachers. 11th graders, not quite the same! They are at a point where they tend to think independently, they want immediate gratification, and really do not see any point, or anything to gain, from these test and as a result many do not try. The state test does not affect their grade; it does not affect their status with the schools they are applying to, so why should they try? Plus, they are now entering adult life and they have grades, sports extra curricular activities, part time jobs and most important of all, their social life. These tests are viewed, by many HS students as an unnecessary nonsense. I work with high school students and they dread the state testing. Many of them, because I am approachable, will tell me they do not care one bit how they do on NECAP and they are not going to waste hours of their time on something that is useless, from their perspective. If they bomb it, they are allowed alternative pathways to prove proficiency, graduate, and they know it.

Now, factor in the lives, that some of our urban students live. Some our out on the street corner until 2 am because their own parents, who have “activities” going on, won’t let them in the house. Others, like one young man I had in my summer program, was involved in a dispute that included gang members had trouble concentrating because he had been shot at the night before. People say, “the urban line is just an excuse” but they really don’t know, what goes on in these kids lives. Sadly, the circumstances are not the students fault. But, if you had to live their life, NECAP wouldn’t be your priority. Survival, a roof over your head, and food would be a bit higher on your list!

Just a thought, I think we should take all the time and money spent on improving test scores and put it towards the “college within a high school” concept. Let the students earn more college credits in high school, enter their first year of college as a sophomore and families would forgo one year of college tuition. Furthermore, high school would have more meaning to the student and some would be more motivated.

Ed,

One main problem with what you are arguing is that, in least in terms of total numbers, the high schools seem to be doing better than the junior highs (and the end of middle school). Woonsocket was +112 students proficient in reading between grades 8 and 11, but -43 students proficient between grades 5 and 8. Providence was +634 8-to-11, but only +30 5-to-8. Central Falls was +40 8-to-11, but -16 5-to-8.

It could be, I suppose that "student mobility" is somehow impacting younger students more seriously than older ones. Or maybe there are many students that come from private K-8 systems into public high schools (but then why do the numbers in mathematics all fall off so badly?). But it could also be possible that the real crash in our educational system is happening somewhere before high school, and the high-schools are starting to pick up the pieces.