By: Haley Cox
Eaton High School Freshman (‘15) and sophomores (‘14) blew several nearby schools out of the water on CSAP last year. Reading scores increased for both the class of 2015 and 2014 by at least five points. Incoming freshman (‘15) appear to have stolen the show, improving five points on their 2010 results in reading and writing and 21 points in math.
Eaton outpaced several surrounding schools, including Ault, District 6, Roosevelt, Platte Valley, and Windsor in their composite scores on the ACT tests.
Sophomores (‘14) failed to improve upon any 2010 results; however, writing results didn’t decline, marking 2010 results to a tee. Reading results fell from 81 to 77, and math results from 73 to 38. Fred Kinney, mathematics instructor credited the 35 point drop in scores to the fact that, “We’re preparing kids for college. We don’t teach to the CSAP test. There was no significant change in what we did. Some years kids try harder than others.”
The number of students scoring unsatisfactory did decrease, however, ensuring that EHS did meet AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) this year. Math Department Chair Jerome Hess commented, “We did show improvement… we reduced the number of students that were unsatisfactory.”
Eaton District Curriculum Coordinator Bridgette Muse echoed this statement, saying “We reduced the number of unsatisfactory students in all categories, allowing us to hit our Annual Yearly Targets.”
Juniors (13) just barely upstaged sophomores, outperforming their 2010 reading results by four points. Writing scores declined by two points and math results declined by 10.
Muse said senior (12) ACT results were no surprise. “We expected them to do well, and they did. They were above the state average, which is good.” The report was based on 101 students who took the test last Spring. She said she expects results to improve from a 20.2 composite score to around 20.5 at the end of this academic school year.
How to Read Your CSAP Scores
As CSAP results find their way to students and parents, they leave many wondering what to look for. According to the counseling office, it is more important to look at the percentile ranking of student’s score than to look at the score itself. Tests vary from year to year and grade to grade, so there is more to be learned from a student’s percentile ranking from year to year relative to his/her peers than the points themselves.