to release test scores in August

By JULIE FINLEY

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ &045;&045; It will be more than two months before the public will know how well students in the Natchez-Adams School District are performing.

The process of reviewing, releasing and verifying the results of the state and federally mandated tests the students took in the spring has begun, but local numbers won’t be available until Aug. 18.

The Mississippi Department of Education controls the release of all scores, not the local officials.

Statewide results on the Mississippi Curriculum Test, the Subject Area Testing Program, the Writing Assessment and the Norm Referenced Test will be released to the public on July 15, but will not be broken down by district.

Last year’s scores, released in August, showed improvement in the Natchez-Adams district in most categories. MCT scores from 2003 dropped in the categories of second-grade reading, eighth-grade language and seventh- and eighth-grade math. The drop was not more than 5 percent.

In an effort to improve test scores this year students at Morgantown and McLaurin Elementary students had access to Title I tutors during the day and in after-school programs.

At Robert Lewis Middle School the Reading First Initiative was in place, and Principal Cynthia Smith said throughout the year she hoped it would boost test scores.

The third graders at the elementary schools and the seventh graders at the middle school are required to pass MCT benchmarks before moving to the next grade.

Last year’s second-grade math students maintained their level of proficiency in the 2003 tests.

All other areas improved on the previous year in 2003.

Based on the achievement model mandated by the government and tested last year McLaurin Elementary was a level two school, or an under-performing school in the 2002-2003 school year. The scale is four levels.

Morgantown Elementary was a level three, successful school. Robert Lewis Middle School was level two.

Natchez High School was a three.

The primary schools do not receive rankings.