2012 State Test Scores
Students in Bellingham Public Schools who took the state tests in the spring will receive individual student score reports mailed to their homes in mid-to-late September. High school students who participated in the summer test retake will receive those scores in late October.
"Overall, we are pleased that the state test data for Bellingham Public Schools indicates an upward trend during the past two years in many areas, including the number of students exceeding grade level standards," says Superintendent Greg Baker. "It is important to remember that this is one piece of data from one test taken annually each spring. As we strive to educate the whole child, we'll be working with our staff and community throughout this school year to determine how we measure our progress and share opportunities for improvement in a variety of ways. The Bellingham Promise, which our staff, families and community have collectively built during the last year, goes well beyond what the state Legislature and federal government have deemed what we need to measure. As a community, we should take great pride in this bold step."
Most Improving, Closing the Achievement Gap Schools
As a part of Washington’s Elementary and Secondary Act waiver granted by the Department of Education, State Superintendent Randy Dorn has designated 58 top-performing and most improving Title I schools as “Reward Schools.” Sunnyland Elementary School is one of the 58 schools statewide named this week as a Reward School. Sunnyland received a High-Progress Reward School distinction for scoring in the top 10 percent of Title I schools in reading and math (combined) on state assessments for its “all students” group. This designation acknowledges a school’s performance and improvement in reading and math during a three-year period (2008/09‒2010/11). Schools designated as Reward Schools cannot have significant achievement/opportunity gaps among subgroups.
The Reward School distinction reflects changes in the way Washington state is reporting and measuring Adequate Yearly Progress for districts and schools. The state will no longer notify schools and districts if they have met the criteria for Adequate Yearly Progress. Instead, the state plans to use a new calculation and report more information about federal accountability data for schools and districts related to new Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) in October.
Meanwhile later this week, Bellingham Public Schools will also celebrate Carl Cozier Elementary School as its 2012 Closing the Achievement Gap Annual Award recipient. Staff members at Carl Cozier Elementary School have earned this district award for their exemplary work to improve opportunities for all students, specifically in the area of closing gaps among races/ethnicities. Staff at Bellingham High School received honorable mention for their work with low-income students.
The Closing the Achievement Gap Award is given annually to one school districtwide that distinguishes itself according to Washington State Achievement Index data.
2012 Bellingham School District State Test Scores
Please click here to view state test performance scores for Bellingham Public Schools.
Please visit http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us for state scores and any updates.
Washington uses the grades 3-8 Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) and the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) to test its students in the content areas and grade levels shown above. The HSPE is now used as the state’s high school exit exam, along with the end-of-course assessments. End-of-course assessment data, as well as on-time and extended graduation rates, will be available on the state website listed above.
