Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

  • Home |
  • Calendars |
  • Contact Us
Sections
You are here: News :: News Releases :: Preliminary Results Show Major Increases at All Levels
 
Document Actions

Preliminary Results Show Major Increases at All Levels

July 15, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Dr. Terri Mozingo, Chief Academic Officer, Instructional Services, 560-2027

 

DURHAM—Preliminary End-of-Grade and End-of-Course test results report overall increases at 46 of 49 schools in the Durham Public Schools district for the 2008-09 school year, with gains – some major – in key subject areas.

Twenty-eight out of 29 elementary schools showed increases in their composite math and reading scores, and all nine middle schools reported increases.  Seven of 10 high schools reported increases in composite scores, but two of those had too few students to adequately measure and one in its first year of operation as a standalone school had no previous figures with which to compare.

Elementary schools had an increase of nearly 10 percentage points on average in their composite math and reading scores.  Y.E. Smith Elementary School reported the largest increase, with a 21.3 percentage-point gain.  An additional 12 elementary schools realized an increase of 10 or more percentage points.  They are Burton, Eastway, Eno Valley, Fayetteville Street, Little River, Oak Grove, Parkwood, E.K. Powe, Pearsontown, R.N. Harris, C.C. Spaulding and W.G. Pearson Elementary Schools. 

Among middle schools, W.G. Pearson Middle realized a 20.3 percentage point gain, while Neal Middle posted a gain of 13.2 percentage points.  All middle schools realized gains for the 2008-09 school year. 

This was the first year that retests for the EOGs were included in figuring the overall composite scores. It is clear, however, that gains were realized before retesting in all subject areas in both elementary and middle school.

With retesting included, there was an overall 11.8 percentage-point gain in reading for grades 3 through 5 and an 11.3-point gain for reading in grades 6 through 8. For math, students in grades 3 through 5 realized a 9.7 percentage-point increase, while sixth- through eighth-graders reported a 10.8-point jump.  Fifth-graders realized a 23.3 percentage-point leap in science, while eighth-graders realized a 9.6-point gain.

The Middle College High School at Durham Technical Community College reported a 23.6 percentage-point jump.  All traditional high schools reported increases as well.

DPS officials credit principals and teachers with these impressive gains. Under the leadership of DPS principals and through Professional Learning Communities, teachers are doing a better job of using data in making their instructional decisions.

Durham Public Schools implemented the use of Scorecards last year. The Scorecards measure school success in several different areas, and hold schools to a higher standard of accountability.   Schools also used remediation funds that were previously spent on summer school for intervention during the school year.  In addition, middle and high school reform efforts begun several years ago are starting to pay off.

 “The EOG and EOC preliminary information is fantastic news and true confirmation that our teachers, principals and students are working hard, with the support of parents, to ensure that good teaching and learning is happening in Durham Public Schools,” said Carl Harris. “We will continue to focus on ensuring that we are using good data to make decisions around the delivery of instruction to our students.”

Attachments