2009 Spring Test Results

Posted on by Leslie Jacobs

Great News: Performance Soars!

The recently released 2009 Test Scores are great news for New Orleans. Across the city, student achievement improved dramatically.

These gains are truly significant and show the reforms underway are working.

  • New Orleans improved more than the state across all grades and subjects.
  • New Orleans showed real growth in the percentage of students passing the promotional high-stakes LEAP and GEE tests.
  • Significantly more students met the state proficiency goal of Basic or Above.

This edition of Leslie’s Notebook will focus on the high stakes tests – 4th and 8th grade English and Math LEAP tests, along with the Graduation Exit Exam – to highlight the tremendous improvement both this year and since the state took over the schools in 2006.

These results include all schools under the Orleans Parish School Board and the Recovery School District, both traditional and charter.

4th and 8th Grade LEAP

Meeting the Promotional Standard:  Passing the Test

To pass the test, students need to perform Basic in English or Math and Approaching Basic in the other part.

In both 4th and 8th grade, New Orleans showed impressive gains:

  • 4th Grade:  New Orleans improved its Passing rate 5 percentage points, compared to a 1 point gain statewide.
  • 8th Grade:  New Orleans improved 6 percentage points, compared to a 3 point gain statewide.

Percentage of New Orleans students meeting the Promotional Standard

Meeting Louisiana’s Proficiency Goal:  Basic or Above

Louisiana’s Goal is for all students to not merely pass the test, but to achieve at least a Basic or Above in all subjects.
Once again, New Orleans’ 4th and 8th graders achieved remarkable gains:
  • 4th Grade:   New Orleans improved 7 percentage points in English, compared to a 3 point gain statewide, and improved 1 point in Math, compared to a 2 point loss statewide.
  • 8th Grade:   The gains in the percentage of 8th graders proficient in English is inspiring!  From 1999 to 2005, before the state took over the schools, New Orleans grew a mere 3 percentage points (from 23% to 26%).  Last year alone, we grew 6 percentage points.

Percent of 4th and 8th Graders at Basic or Above

High School GEE

Last year, high schools in New Orleans did not show growth. This year, they made up for lost time, especially in English and Math.

Again, New Orleans grew more than the state in all subjects, especially in English and Math.

  • In English, New Orleans grew 13 percentage points; the state grew 4.
  • In Math, New Orleans grew 19 percentage points (amazing growth!); the state grew 8 points.

Percentage of 10th and 11th Graders at Basic and Above (1st time test takers)

Demographics

I have been asked repeatedly if the gains in test scores are due to a change in demographics since Katrina. The answer is no!

While the city is smaller:

  • The percentage of minority students is not significantly different than pre-Katrina.
  • The percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch has increased since Katrina.
New Orleans Public Schools

Cause for Celebration

Comparing New Orleans growth at the end of the 2007- 2008 school year to the baseline year of 2005 (the last year before the state took over most of  the schools), we grew more than any other district in Louisiana.  We might just do it again this year!

New Orleans grew significantly more than the state in every grade, every subject.

We are transforming not just our schools, but the lives of students, and the future of our city through improved education. It’s an exciting time.

At Educate Now! we are firmly committed to making the education reform underway effective and sustainable.

To view scores for individual schools, click on the links below: