CHAMBERSBURG–Chambersburg Area School District students show continued academic achievement in the 2020-2021 school year, according to Measure of Academic Progress test results for K-8 students and Classroom Diagnostic Tools test results for students 9-12 shared at the Jan. 26 district regular board meeting.
“This is exciting information showing our students continue to make academic growth through achievement assessments over the past year, despite the many challenges facing both students and teachers due to the pandemic,” said Janilyn Elias, Assistant Superintendent.
Results compare fall 2019 tests conducted while students were fully in school to fall 2020 tests conducted while students were fully virtual. In many cases, test results show improvement over the previous year.
For example, when comparing 2019-2020 scores of 1st graders to the 2020-2021 scores of the same students who are now in 2nd grade, their reading scores increased from 160.2 to 175.6. Additionally, CASD test results often outpaced national normative scores.
Testing data also provides important indicators on areas of potential focus for academic improvement. “When we look at the need for remediation, or helping students who are academically struggling, these results give us specific grade levels, schools, and individual students that we can provide remediation tools and strategies to,” said Dr. Dion Betts, superintendent. “This allows us to be hyper focused on groups of students who need help the most.”
According to Betts, the other “side” to educating children is considering their social and emotional needs. This in order to help children be prepared for academic learning. A parent and student survey will be forthcoming. Information from those surveys will be used to program for children.
According to their website, Measure of Academic Progress testing is the most trusted and innovative assessment for measuring achievement and growth in K–12 math, reading, language usage, and science. Additionally, The Pennsylvania Classroom Diagnostic Tools is a set of online assessments, divided by content areas and is designed to provide diagnostic information to guide instruction in order to support intervention and enrichment.
