Novato Students Score Well on STAR Tests

Following a state trend, students in the improved in English-language arts on this year’s Standardized Testing and Reporting test.

 “What it means is that systemwide our programs are leading to growth,” said Iishwara Ryaru, director of accountability for the district.

Partial STAR test results were released earlier this week. They show that all the district's tested grade levels matched or exceeded last year’s scores in English-language arts.

Other highlights:

Seventh graders continued a strong trend toward proficiency in writing, with 92 percent receiving one of the two highest scores on the writing prompt. This was up from 86 percent in 2010, and a much weaker 49 percent in 2009.

“When students have that level of readiness in middle school, you can imagine it helps in high school,” Ryaru said about the positive scores.

Students in fourth grade, the only other grade level tested for writing, were on par with last year’s proficiency rate of 71 percent.

Science scores increased in grade 5, 8 and 10, a trend Ryaru said bodes well for student achievement.

“Both math and science are areas where we really want to make sure students are strong, because things like algebra and higher-level science really help students in college,” he said.

There’s still more work to do, though, since, “At this time we don’t see that every single level matched or exceeded in math like they did in English-language arts.”

From 2010 to 2011, second graders who are “English learners” had a 19 percent gain in math scores, while there was a 5 percent increase in proficient and advanced scores for second and fourth graders. Also, proficient and advanced scores in ninth grade geometry increased by 8 percent.

Full STAR results will be released later this month, focusing on overall assessments of district performance. They’ll provide data on how various subgroups, such as those for whom English is a second language, are performing.  

Statewide, approximately 4.7 million students participated in the 2011 STAR program, with 54 percent scoring proficient or above in English-language arts and 50 percent scoring at proficient or above in mathematics, the highest percentage since the program's inception in 2003.

The STAR test results make up the majority of the data used to calculate schools' Academic Performance Index, or API, which ranks schools from 200 to 1,000 points, with a state goal of reaching 800.

The local improvement in STAR test scores echoes a statewide trend, which saw a larger proportion than ever of students scoring proficient or higher on exams in English-language arts, math, science and history.

“Our goal is we’re working toward all kids being proficient or advanced,” Ryaru said.

“In the 2011-12 school year, NUSD staff will use STAR data and other ongoing assessments to continue to strengthen the academic program,” said Shalee Cunningham, NUSD's superintendent.

For more details on STAR results in Marin, click here. For the state's website for STAR results, click here.