eNews: January 24, 2023
In This Issue:
1. Latest Assessment Data Show Concerning Progress
2. Four Numbers to Know About Math Remediation
3. Are We as Good as We Think We Are?
4. Questions About Donations? We've Got Answers!
5. What We're Reading This Week
6. Happening Soon
Latest Assessment Data Looks Concerning
Recently released APS BoY (beginning of year) assessment data show marginal progress:
Math
More than half of APS middle schoolers have scored below the “proficient” level on the Math Inventory assessment:
3,487 middle schoolers are below proficient
1,922 students are in the “below basic” category
At six elementary schools, more than half of the students scored “below basic” in math.
Across grade levels, many remain in the “below basic” group:
37.4% of 2nd graders
34.6% of 8th graders
Much higher percentages of Black and Hispanic students (56% and 61.6%, respectively) and SWD (64.4%) are in the “below basic” category.
Why It Matters: The data is clear: the need is great and there are consequences to not providing the support that is needed. Hundreds, if not thousands, of students require more support than they are currently receiving. The fact that similar percentages of students remain “below basic” as they progress through APS elementary and middle school programs indicates that APS should be doing more.
Reading
High numbers of students still require intensive reading support.
Across all elementary schools:
2,355 students need intensive support.
1,210 of our 4th and 5th graders need either intensive or strategic support.
By the end of elementary school, the percent of Black and Hispanic students needing intensive support remains high while the percent of White students needing intensive support is reduced by approximately 60%.
Why It Matters: Literacy is highly predictive of future academic achievement and vital for participation in society. The transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” happens around 3rd grade. Students not reading on grade level by then are at increased risk for negative school and life outcomes. These demographic disparities must be addressed equitably and immediately.
See the BOY Assessment Data on the APS Student Progress Dashboard.
Four Numbers to Know About Math Remediation
APS needs more math interventionists. Here is data shared at the November ACTL meeting:
6: The number of Math Interventionists APS currently has in ten schools (three middle schools; seven elementary schools). Interventionists work directly with students needing interventions.
10: The number of Math Interventionists that math supervisors have requested be assigned to those ten schools for next school year.
34: The number of Math Interventionists that math supervisors originally requested.
253: The number of students at one school who need more intensive math intervention.
Why It Matters: APS learning loss has been uneven. The student progress dashboard shows that schools in our wealthiest neighborhoods demonstrate very little learning loss but the opposite is true in our schools with highest free/reduced lunch eligibility . Nationwide data on the pandemic also mirrors this trend. As APS adopts its budget, it should budget for the number of interventionists our students need, not just the amount of funds that APS believes it can spare after it hires administrators.
Read the Harvard study tracking this issue.
Are We as Good as We Think We Are?
Our newest Think Tank analysis shows some troubling metrics at the high school level. When compared with our peers in neighboring districts on most metrics that we could find, after controlling for the percentage of students identified as economically disadvantaged, APS’ performance appears to be below average:
SAT scores from 2018 through 2020 reflect that Arlington high schools have historically performed below the average of their peers.
The percentage of students in APS receiving a 3 or higher on their AP tests has been steadily declining and is currently below levels historically reported for Montgomery County (in 2019) and Fairfax (in 2010).
When looking at advanced SOL pass rates, although Washington-Liberty performs above the average of its peers on reading, on all other tests APS schools are in the bottom half compared with their peers.
Why It Matters: We should be either comparable to or outperforming our peer schools in neighboring NOVA districts. APE's analysis indicates that APS has substantial room to improve in its delivery of educational excellence and in preparing students for post-secondary education.
Read the Think Tank Report.
Questions About Donations? We've Got Answers!
We have been incredibly lucky and honored to have parents from the Arlington area like you donate to help us cover the costs of FOIAs and other efforts to promote the priorities of the membership of Arlington Parents for Education (read more about that here) and increase awareness of our newsletter and website.
Read more about our donor privacy policy, why we are a 501(c)(4) and more here!
WHAT WE’RE READING
The Science of Reading…and Writing (Education Week)
“The stories—all rooted in research—detail ways that teachers can embed writing throughout the elementary curriculum. For example, writing can enhance foundational reading skills and students’ knowledge of how words and sentences work. And throughout K-5, students need explicit writing instruction, modeling, tools, and access to rich content so that they can write in increasingly sophisticated ways.”
PROOF POINTS: Many schools are buying on-demand tutoring but a study finds that few students are using it (The Hechinger Report)
“The researchers, from Brown University and the University of California, Irvine, tried three different ways of engaging students. But no matter what they tried, a majority of students never used the tutoring service. Even their most successful effort, which involved nudging both parents and students with frequent text messages and emails, convinced only 27 percent of the students to try an online tutor at least once. More than 70 percent of the students never tried it. Without the nudges, only 19 percent of the students connected with an online tutor. And, among the students who needed tutoring the most because they had failed a class with a D or an F in the fall of 2020, only 12 percent ever logged on. Students who were doing well at school and not at risk of failure were twice as likely to take advantage of the free tutoring.”
Schools sink money into tutoring, but some programs fall short (Washington Post)
“Tutoring has become a go-to solution for school districts across the country, amid an unprecedented gush of federal dollars to address pandemic setbacks. But many districts are investing in opt-in online programs that experts say have not been shown to fill in learning gaps for students who need it most. What actually works, they say, is something else: more structured, data-driven 'high-impact' tutoring, a method backed by years of research. It is typically delivered several times a week, over an extended period, using the same well-trained tutor to drill down on missed learning while staying aligned with classroom instruction. School districts identify students who need it, ideally incorporating it into their regular school day. The cost and level of difficulty are higher, but the payoff is worth it, education experts say.”
If you like to read, consider joining our next APE Book Club! Email us or join our Facebook Forum for details.
Forward to a friend or neighbor.
HAPPENING SOON
Thursday, January 26, 6:30 PM: Work Session on Gifted Services at 6:30 PM (MOVED FROM JANUARY 24). Syphax.
Thursday, February 2, 7 PM: Next School Board Meeting Sign up to speak. Syphax.
Monday, February 6, 5-7 PM: Open office hours with Bethany Sutton. Sign up to speak.
Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 PM: Work Session on Career Technical Education. Syphax.
Did you know you can add the APS calendar to your iphone calendar or google calendar? Check it out!
