52% of Lee third graders did not pass reading test
USFL-SWAssessReportsSPR22ELA03SRD-1Scores by school
Fewer than half of the third graders enrolled in public schools in Lee County passed the state test for reading this year.
Only 48 percent received a score of 3 or higher — the passing point of the five-level scoring system — in the spring English Language Arts assessment compared to the state average of 53 percent.
Only 20 percent of School District of Lee County students scored at Level 4 or 5 meaning 79 percent did not achieve proficiency. (Numbers do not always tally at 100 percent due to rounding.)
“This has been one of the most challenging years in education,” said Chief Academic Officer Dr. Jeff Spiro in a prepared statement. “These test results come in prior to the end of the school year which allows us to use the scores to support individual learning during the summer. Thanks to the proactivity and hard work of our teachers and school leaders, we already have a plan in place to address our student’s literacy needs.”
The ELA Florida Standards Assessment has five achievement levels
“Performance levels describe a student’s success with the content assessed. Performance levels range from 1 to 5, with Level 1 as the lowest and Level 5 as the highest. For all assessments, Level 3 indicates satisfactory performance. The passing score for each assessment is the minimum scale score in Performance Level 3,” the 2022 Understanding Florida Statewide Assessment Reports document states.
Level 1 is Inadequate: Highly likely to need substantial support for the next grade/course
Level 2 is Below Satisfactory: Likely to need substantial support for the next grade/course
Level 3 is Satisfactory: May need additional support for the next grade/course
Level 4 is Proficient: Likely to excel in the next grade/course
Level 5 is Mastery: Highly likely to excel in the next grade/course
Parents can view their child’s results through the FOCUS parent portal.
This group of third graders has been impacted by school shutting down after their spring beak in first grade due to COVID-19, followed by a mixture of in-person and virtual learning their second grade year, district officials said. Their third grade year had high levels of absenteeism and quarantines.
Although the district implemented initiatives to help students make strides in their reading, the percentage of third graders scoring at a level 3 or above decreased two points from 50 percent to the 48 percent this year.
The district will continue its effort to boost student achievement, new Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier said.
“Lee County is committed to using state testing data as it is released to begin the process, post COVID-19, of setting the standard for learning moving forward,” he said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to working together with our students, families and teachers to help students accelerate their learning after three school years of interrupted instruction.”
District spokesperson Rob Spicker said the district had a tutoring program paid for by a federal grant, which was available to all elementary students with a focus on third grade reading.
“We put an emphasis on phonics and used a program designed to help with phonics because previous progress monitoring indicated this area needed the most improvement,” he said.
In addition, students had a 90-minute reading block daily, which included small group differentiation, allowing them to get extra support in areas needed most.
“They also had a 60-minute reading intervention block every day, which provided even more support. The students had their third progress monitoring report shortly before the test, so the areas in need of the most attention could be addressed before the ELA exam,” Spicker said.
This summer students will receive additional support through a reading camp, offered June 3 through July 14 from 8 a.m. to noon.
“We are starting by inviting identified second graders to a face-to-face reading program the same times as third grade reading camp,” he said. “The reading curriculum is built following state guidelines on vocabulary, phonics and comprehension. There is an assessment at the end to determine if the students are reading at third grade level.”
This summer, administrative and school staff will analyze the test results to develop instructional plans for incoming third grade students.
For the first time, all elementary students received free books for their personal libraries. Kindergarten, first grade and second grade students received 10 books, while third, fourth and fifth grade students received five books.
“There is a grade level specific workbook that is also included, so that students can continue to test their reading skills. The answers are included in the back of the workbook, so that parents can participate and review their child’s progress,” Spicker said.
To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com