This exam result was a fluke.  It has not been repeated and 4th grade ELA scores have both fallen and failed to keep up with the progress made in other schools to the point where 30% of NY schools outside of NYC do better on this exam than S-G.  Although our students are fully capable of performing at this level, S-G teachers prefer to teach "at a leisurely pace," according to one teacher.
Scotia-Glenville's 2000, 4th Grade ELA scores are excellent. We moved from having the 14th highest mean score in the Capital Region to the 4th highest score. We also moved from 10th highest percent of students scoring in level 4 (the highest level) to 4th highest. Both of these scores hit my target for demonstrating that our students are working up to potential. The students and teachers are to be commended for this outstanding performance.

By my quick and rough calculations, our score puts our school district in the top 10% of schools in the state, and one of the most improved schools in the state, as well!

This is just great, great news! It shows that our students are capable of doing top notch academic work.

As every administrator and teacher will tell you, you can't draw a conclusion about trends, program improvements, or program effectiveness from just one test, or multiple tests within a single year. This kind of performance must be repeated in all grades over at least three years to demonstrate a high level of lasting quality throughout the school district. Also, the IOWA scores must confirm the improvement and negate the possibility of merely teaching to the test. But this year's scores on the 4th Grade ELA set the standard for our school.

You can view ELA statistics for the entire state by clicking here, as long as State Ed. maintains the link.