Testing series offers more opportunity for great results

(Published Sunday, April 13, 2008 in Examiner-Enterprise)

In recent years, we've made no secret of the fact that state testing scores throughout the Bartlesville Public School District have been on a steady incline. We're obviously very proud of this fact.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education has several ways in which it can monitor every school district – in fact, every school – within the Sooner State in order to see which institutions are thriving in terms of helping their students to best grasp the curriculum at hand. Thus, while in the classroom of any particular school students study subjects such as math, reading, and science, there are state testing series which test them in those areas as well. Typically, at the state level, officials want to know what percentage of a school's student body – broken down by grade level – are proficient in a certain subject.

From April 15-23 within the Bartlesville Public School District , we will be conducting Criterion Reference Testing – as mandated by the Oklahoma State Department of Education – for third through eighth graders. The testing will take place at each of the district's seven elementary schools – Hoover , Jane Phillips, Oak Park , Ranch Heights , Richard Kane, Wayside and Woodrow Wilson – as well as at both Central and Madison middle schools. In addition, beginning on Monday state End of Instruction tests will be given at the secondary-school level.

In the CRT series, students will be tested in several different subject areas, including math, reading, writing, social studies and science. End of Instruction tests youngsters, from grades six through 12, in seven particular subjects – Algebra I, Algebra II, English II, English III, Geometry, Biology and U.S. History.

Our teachers and administrators do a fantastic job of preparing our students. We often utter the phrase “excellence in education,” but we don't throw it around lightly. It's something that we strive for each and every day. In our pursuit of excellence, we want to make certain that all of our students are able to best grasp the curriculum at their respective grade levels to give them a solid educational foundation from which they can reach their ultimate goals. Thus, whenever the state tests our students with something like the CRT or EOI series, we want to score 100 percent proficient in every subject area. While we weren't able to achieve that goal last year, our results were sterling nevertheless. For instance, in the 2007 CRT series, 98 percent of the district's fourth graders scored proficient or advanced in reading. At the fifth-grade level, 96 percent of the district's students scored proficient or advanced in science.

In the EOI series, BPSD students proved 89 percent proficient in Biology I.

All told, we can take Bruin pride in a job very well done. But until we score a 100 percent in every area, we will work diligently in our pursuit of further improvement.

As parents of youngsters who are enrolled within the Bartlesville Public School District , some of you may be wondering if there is anything you can do to help your child perform well in the CRT and EOI series. The succinct answer is “yes.” On the nights before the tests, ensure your youngster gets a good night's sleep. Give them a good breakfast as well.

Let your youngsters know these tests are important and encourage them to do their very best. However, try not to put any undue pressure on them. If you have any questions about the CRT or EOI schedule for a particular school, please contact an official at the respective building.

Ultimately, we want to do everything we can to help our students to be in a good place both mentally and physically when it comes time to begin work on the CRT and EOI state testing series. We have enjoyed very good results in recent years, and we fully expect them to continue.