Del. Student Test Scores Holding Steady (DE)

October 26, 2010

Delaware’s public school students scored about the same this year as last in social studies and science on Delaware Student Testing Program assessments, the state Department of Education announced Monday.

Overall, about 60 percent of eighth-graders and about 57 percent of 11th-graders scored proficient in science. In social studies, about 57 percent of eighth-graders and about 46 percent of 11th-graders were proficient.

The science portion of the test, which was administered in May, measures student knowledge in four areas: inquiry, life science, Earth science and physical science. The social studies test, also given in May, measures four areas: civics, economics, geography and history.

In the Appoquinimink School District, test scores were higher than the state average in both subject areas, Superintendent Tony Marchio said. The district has focused on making sure students are getting instruction on standards and increasing professional development for teachers. The school’s "strong curriculum supervisors" work with the teachers to make sure the right subjects are being taught at the right time, he said.

"We focused really hard on the standards, so the teachers know what is to be taught," Marchio said.

The lowest percentages of proficient students in social studies and science were at Wilmington’s Moyer Charter School, which reopened under new management this year.

For eighth-grade social studies, about 12 percent of the students scored proficient. For science, 6.5 percent of 11th-grade students and 10 percent of eighth-grade students scored at or above the standard. Moyer students took the exams after they found out the school would be closed.
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This was the last year for the DSTP. The test has been replaced by an online test called the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System. The scores for next year are likely to be lower because the state changed the pass rate to make the test more challenging.

"We’ve raised the bar for what it takes to be proficient in core subjects and expect it will take time for scores to rise to that level," state Secretary of Education Lillian M. Lowery said in a statement. "In the short term, it means scores will be lower. In the long term, it means students will be better prepared to compete in a global economy."