Catholic School Assessment Results – Our Wellness Checkup
Sister Shirley Anne Brown SSJ, Assistant Superintendent of Schools
The healthcare profession has spent much time, energy, and money to change the American mindset from healthcare and illness to healthcare and wellness. In like manner, the educational profession is spending equivalent amounts of time and energy to change the focus of testing from a fearful “bigger than life” event to one that is a natural part of the flow of the educational process.
The educational research, as well as the practice of master teachers, indicate that good assessment enters into the flow as part of the educational process – as diagnostic in terms of what students know and yet need to know; as formative in terms of how the teacher structures the learning experience for future learning and as achievement in terms of how well students know the content and are able to perform skills of an expected age or grade level.
The Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Ogdensburg are actively engaged in using assessment as a moment in the instructional process to meet the above stated objectives. “How well are they doing?” is a question commonly asked of school personnel by parents and the many parish supporters. One of the ways this may be answered is by using information familiar to parents of New York State students – the New York State test results for students in grades 3-8 in English/Language Arts and Math as well as the High School State Regents exams.
2006-2007 marked the first year Catholic School students in our diocese took the grades 3-8 state tests. Results were beyond our expectations but yet worthy of the focus and dedication of our many teachers and administrators.
Mathematics English/Language Arts
Grade Diocese State Grade Diocese State
3 93% 85% 3 79% 67%
4 88% 80% 4 86% 68%
5 80% 76% 5 81% 68%
6 88% 71% 6 86% 63%
7 78% 66% 7 79% 58%
8 70% 59% 8 83% 57%
In regard to regents exams for our High School students, historically, our passing rates are equally impressive compared to State averages. Although the State average results are not yet available for the 2006-2007 year, preliminary reports from the high schools indicate that the tradition of academic excellence continues.
The Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Ogdensburg have submitted to a “wellness check” for their academic programs compared to New York State Standards and have demonstrated amazing educational good health. This is due in no small part to the efforts of the professional expertise of our teachers and administrators to provide a seamless program that balances standards, instructional process and assessment. In this same manner, the same high level of educational programming and assessment is applied to our Early Childhood Programs grades Pre-K to 2 and most importantly, to the overall instruction and integration of the knowledge and lived expression of our Faith, our Church and the Person of Jesus who is the foundation and rationale of our entire educational program.
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