Eighth grade parish LEAP test scores show growth

By Vershal Hogan (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Wednesday, May 7, 2008

VIDALIA — Parish-wide LEAP test scores were released Tuesday, and they showed the parish had a 10 percent growth in eighth grade students achieving promotional standards during spring testing.

Students must achieve a “Basic” or “Approaching Basic” understanding of English Language Arts and Math on the test to be promoted to the next grade, and this year approximately 68 percent of eighth graders, as compared to 58 percent last year, passed the spring testing.

The number of fourth graders who passed the initial testing also grew from 64 to 66 percent.

In raw numbers, that means that 57 of the 286 fourth grade students tested scored “unsatisfactory” on the English language arts portion of the test and 52 did not pass the math portion of the test.

Likewise, 13 of the 235 eighth graders tested did not pass the English language arts section of the test, and 86 of them scored unsatisfactory on the math section.

The statewide average of fourth grade students who passed the spring testing is 76 percent, while the statewide average for eighth graders is 69 percent.

On the science portion of the test, which does not determine promotion, 41 fourth graders — approximately 14 percent —and 21 eighth graders — approximately 9 percent —scored unsatisfactory.

In social studies, which also does not determine promotion, 62 fourth graders — approximately 22 percent —and 27 eighth graders — approximately 11 percent — scored unsatisfactory.

Those who did not pass spring testing will be allowed to re-test during the summer.