Lower Cape State Test Scores Strong in Science, Low in Math

ERMA – Student performance in the Lower Cape May Regional School District on state tests was mixed last year with substandard scores in math, but strong science scores.
School administrators presented their annual report at a meeting Thurs. Oct. 28.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction Chris Kobik said the Lower Cape May Regional District is considered by the state as a “B” school with “A” being the worst designation and “J” being the best. The letter grade is based on the socioeconomic makeup of the students. “A” schools include Camden, Wildwood and Newark.
The letter grade puts the high school and middle school in a district factor group of similar schools. Kobik said nearly 46 percent of students in the district qualify for free or reduced price lunches due to the income level of their family.
Under No Child Left Behind federal rules, the district must track the performance of African-American, Hispanic, Special Education and economically disadvantaged students as sub groups, he said.
On the New Jersey ASK Test for seventh graders in language arts, the district scored 61.7 percent which was below the state average of 69 percent but above the district factor group (DFG) score of 57 percent.
Economically disadvantaged seventh graders in the district scored 55 percent, above the DFG score of 50 percent and above the state average of 47.8 percent. Kobik said that pattern persists throughout the school district’s scores.
On NJ ASK seventh grade math scores, the overall score of 53.9 was below the state average of 64.3 but above the DFG score by one point. Economically disadvantaged students were slightly above the state and DFG scores with a score of 45.5. White students scored 55.3, which was below the state average of 74.8 and DFG score of 63.1.
Eighth grade NJ ASK test scores for language arts was two points shy of the state average of 82.5 and above the DFG score of 74.2. Economically disadvantaged students were well above the state average of 66.6 with a score of 76.8. White students scored 10 points below the state average of 90.7 and three points below the DFG score of 90.7.
In eighth grade NJ ASK test scores for math, Special Education students did not meet the district factor group score of 25.1, turning in a score of 19.6. The group was also below the state average of 28.7. Total school population scored 62.2 on the test, below the state average of 68.5 but above the DFG score of 57.7.
NJ ASK test scores for eighth graders in science overall scored closed to state average of 82.9.
Kobik said the African-American student population up to the eighth grade level was typically 15-24 students with the Hispanic population averaging 30 to 40 students with Special Education students representing one out of every four students.
Greg Lasher, Teitelman School assistant principal, said the school had some depressed test scores. He said he has been working with the math and social studies departments to improve instruction.
Lasher said he would focus this year in improving math and language arts scores.
“I need more parents involved in their children’s education,” he said.
Eleventh grader HSPA test scores for math were 58.0, below the DFG score of 61.9 and the state average of 74.1. Economically disadvantaged students scored 45.9, below the DGF score of 54.2 and the state average of 54.0.
The HSPA 11th grade language arts score was 86.2, which exceeded the DFG score of 80.4 and was just below the state average of 87.1.
The state biology test overall 11th grade score was 60.9, exceeding the DFG score of 36.4 and state average of 55.9. Economically disadvantaged students scored 52.3, well above the DFG score of 27.7 and the state average of 30.1.
Kobik said the staff was working on an “advisor/advisee program to fulfill an anticipated future requirement all students to have an individualized learning plan.
“It will also help us ensure that all students have a significant adult contact in the school environment,” he said.
Kobik said there was a lot of economic and social uncertainty as the U.S. moves into a global economy. He said students would have personalized learning plans in the next few years, more direct connections to college and careers and more technology such as paperless classrooms.
Superintendent Jack Pfizenmayer said the past school year was “the best of times and the worst of times.” He said the school would work to improve 11th grade math scores.
Last year, the state took surplus funds from schools with the regional school losing $600,000. Pfizenmayer said this year’s budget was about $1.8 million less than the previous year.
He said an effort was made to keep all school programs including extracurricular and athletic. Staff was reduced through attrition, said Pfizenmayer.
The board of education approved making an application to the state to become a choice school district.
“We have a lot to offer,” said Pfizenmayer.
School choice allows parents to send their children to schools outside of their own district. The state allows 10 percent of students from any one school to attend a choice school outside their district.
Lower Elementary Schools have been a choice school district for the last six years. He said the regional school district receives calls each year from parents that would like their children to enter the Teitelman School after finishing sixth grade in Lower Township Elementary School as choice school students.
Pfizenmayer said becoming a choice school district could allow additional programs to be added in the schools. He told the Herald, in the past, only one school district per county was chosen as choice school district but there no longer is a limit.
There is no charge to parents for their children to attend a choice school rather than a school in their own district. Transportation to a choice school is the responsibility of the student’s home district, said Pfizenmayer.
On the regional school’s application to the state to become a choice school district, it indicated it would accept 12 students per grade for the seventh and eighth grades, 20 students into ninth and 10th grades and five for 11th and 12th grades, he said.
The regional school district will be notified in January if it has been selected as a choice school district. If so, the first choice school students would arrive in September 2011.
There were 24 incidents of vandalism reported last year in the school district, down from 46 in 2008, four cases of vandalism, 25 cases of substance abuse incidents, down from 28 in the previous year and one weapons incident, the same as 2009. There was a total of 49 incidents, down from 69 last year.
In seven incidents, police were called but no complaint was filed. In 13 incidents, police were called and a complaint filed. There were a total of 62 suspensions, down from 97 in 2008.
There were 60 student offenders involved in incidents, down for 90 in the previous school year with nine student victims, down from 13 in the previous year with one school staff member listed as a victim. There were no violent criminal offenses reported in 2009.
High School Assistant Principal Peter Daly said incidents were reported on this year’s violence and vandalism report that were not required in previous years.
“Even though the area widened of what we were supposed to report, our numbers still went down,” he said.
Daly said both the high school and middle school were trying to promote “student ownership of their school and school pride.” He said kids were “watching each other.”
Teachers have been a visible presence in school hallways, said Daly. He said in the realm of school pride, sports teams have had winning seasons.