From the SN mailbag:

“Your headline and lead on the SSD test score story are misleading. Rather than being “at or above” state standards, I would say “at or below” is more accurate.

“Of 17 separate tests (6 grades of language arts, 6 grades of math, 5 subject areas), the SSD outperformed the state on 7 but was behind on 10.

“Although I would consider most of the SSD’s scores statistical ties with the state scores, 4 tests showed a 9 point or more difference. Unfortunately, the SSD was significantly BELOW the state level on three (4th, 7th, and 8th grade math) of those. Only in Algebra I did the SSD perform significantly better than the state.

“So, we are performing at the average level of argubly the nation’s worst performing state? In a university community? We can do better and let’s work to do that.”

This in today from SSD:

Starkville School District’s Test Scores At or Above State Average

Friday marks the release of student test scores on the Mississippi Curriculum Test, Second Edition
(MCT2). The tests are administered to students in grades 3-8. Students in grades 9-12 participate in the
Subject Area Test Program.

This is the first year for the MCT 2, and it is the assessment Mississippi uses to meet the requirements of
No Child Left Behind. The MCT 2 is considered a more in-depth test than the MCT, First Edition. The
MCT 2 is a more rigorous assessment which requires students to use their knowledge about a specific
subject area to solve a problem or answer a question. Students are required to demonstrate their depth of
knowledge at advanced levels of thinking and reasoning.

“We have to keep in mind that these assessments not only tell us about the progress of our students but
also about our instruction,” said Supt. Judy Couey. “We are committed to using the information found
in them to improve achievement and instruction,” Couey added.

Test scores for the Starkville School District are consistent with the state average in most subject areas,
while slightly higher in some areas and slightly lower in others. For example, the passing rate for
Algebra I in the Starkville School District 81 percent, while the state average is 71 percent. The passing
rate for Biology I in the Starkville School District is 94 percent, while the state average is 87 percent,
and the passing rate for U.S. History in the Starkville School District is 95 percent, while the state
average is 94 percent.

“While we are pleased to be right on target with the state average with the new assessment, we believe
the Starkville School District is a better than average school district, and we have the tools in place to
make that happen,” said Asst. Supt. Beth Sewell, who is responsible for the areas of curriculum and
instruction in the Starkville School District.

The Starkville School District plans to discuss individual student test scores with parents during Parent
Teacher Conference Day on October 20, 2008.

Tabitha Bandi and Helen Tomlinson of Starkville High School and Anne King of Starkville Academy were tabbed as three of the 72 recipients of the scholarship.