Demopolis test scores trend positive though ACT Aspire results questioned by state

Test scores taken last spring in Demopolis City Schools show terrific gains in some areas and challenges in others.

Results of the ACT Aspire, ACT and AP course tests were to be shared at the Teacher Institute Friday prior to the start of the new school year.

“There hasn’t been a lot of bragging in the past few years,” said Supt. Kyle Kallhoff, but after the results of the tests in the spring, “I immediately went out and bought five pizzas” to celebrate with students and teachers.

However, the ACT Aspire scores are being called into question by several school systems in the state who reported large flaws in the details of the test results. Kallhoff attended a meeting in Montgomery August 4 in which concerns about the test were aired with DOE officials. The DOE will be reviewing the results – including those in Demopolis – within the next several weeks.

Kallhoff said the ACT Aspire test, administered to students in grades 3-8, will be replaced for the 2017-2018 year with Scantron while the state Board of Education decides on another standardized test to monitor progress.

So far the DOE hasn’t given superintendents a lot of input on the interim test and has yet to issue guidelines for using it, leaving school systems scrambling to determine how to administer it this fall and evaluate the results.

The new test is supposed to show teachers the readiness data of their students so they can adjust instruction accordingly.

“If it were up to me, I would use (ACT Aspire) one more year,” said Kallhoff, even though he feels the test “is not good for everybody.”

ACT Aspire aligns with the ACT test given to every junior in Alabama. The test assesses a student’s progress to be ready for college and covers reading, English, math, science and writing.

The problem, said Kallhoff, is that not every student will go on to college or technical training after high school.

Still, Kallhoff was pleased with several results, which also was a reflection of the emphasis placed on different subjects. For instance, he said, 19 percent of the DHS juniors tested at or above the benchmark score for mathematics on the ACT, an indication they would make an A or B in a college algebra course. That is the highest percentage ever for DHS.

Scores showed professional development for teachers have a great impact on students taking the ACT Aspire. A full 69 percent of students in 6^th grade scored proficiently on writing, a jump from only 5 percent when those students were in fifth grade.

A similar, although less dramatic increase, was shown in 5^th grade students over their scores in 4^th grade, from 9 to 40 percent.

The 6^th grade math scores rose three points to 57 percent. All other grades stayed the same or showed a decrease over the previous year of anywhere between 5 and 22 percentage points.

Middle school math is always a challenge, said Kallhoff.

Fifth grade reading scores on the ACT Aspire jumped to 44 percent of students ready or exceeding the benchmark, reflecting the professional development teachers received. The scores have risen over the last three years.

Eighth grade reading scores also rose to 38 percent, a rise of 8 points. The other grades slipped slightly or stayed the same over the previous years.

In reading, science and English, classes mostly held their own from one year to the next. The biggest decline was 4^th grade English which slipped by 16 percentage points, and the biggest gain was in 8^th grade science scores that jumped by 6 percent.

The ACT test is given to all high school juniors in the fall. Those who want to improve their scores can opt to take it again on their own.

The ACT test sets benchmark scores in four subjects: English, math, reading and science. After a dip last year, DHS juniors came roaring back last spring with some of the best scores ever, including the aforementioned math.

In English, 53 percent taking the test met or exceeded the benchmark, a jump from 40 percent the previous year. Math was up from 12 percent; reading climbed to 28 from 22 percent, and science showed the biggest gain to 20 percent from 8 percent in 2015-2016.

What pleased Kallhoff is that 11 percent of the juniors who took the test met the benchmark scores in all four subject areas, an increase over 3 percent the previous year.

Advanced Placement courses are offered at DHS for students who need extra challenge in certain subjects or who want to receive college credit before enrolling.

Each student can take more than one AP exam at the end of the year, depending on how many AP courses he is taking. This year 328 tests were administered. Of those, 58 percent ranked in the extremely well qualified level, which almost ensures students of receiving college credit. Another 38 percent ranked well qualified, which usually is considered credit-worthy by colleges, and 19 percent scored on the qualified level, which may or may not be accepted.

The superintendent, now beginning his third year, said he is excited “where we are with our principals.” With the addition of Brandon Kiser at DMS and Blaine Hathcock moving to DHS, he believes the school system is building a solid foundation for the future.

“Things are right now where they need to be.”