Students in the Essex Junction, Westford, and Union #46 school districts (which make up Chittenden Central Supervisory Union, “CCSU”), scored comparatively high marks on the 2009 New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) tests.

“These NECAP results are valuable to us as the results help inform our continuous progress efforts,” CCSU Superintendent Michael Deweese said.  “After an early review, we are heartened by our overall scores as compared with state results.”

The NECAP reading, math and writing tests measure students’ academic knowledge and skills relative to Grade Expectations, which represent the knowledge and skills students should have achieved by the end of the previous school year. NECAP performance is categorized into four levels of achievement: Proficient with Distinction, Proficient, Partially Proficient and Substantially Below Proficient.

Currently, educators throughout CCSU are reviewing the fall 2009 NECAP results to monitor individual student performance and analyze trends within specific content areas and grade level.  Results will be used for school improvement and accountability.

At the high school level, NECAP reading, math, and writing tests are administered in grade 11. In reading, 85 percent of Essex High School (EHS) students scored proficient or above. In math, 59 percent of EHS students scored proficient or above, 24 percentage points above the state average. In writing, 65 percent of EHS students scored proficient or above. “In all three areas, we achieved the highest percentages to date in the ‘Proficient with Distinction’ category,” EHS Principal Robert Reardon said.

At the elementary and middle school levels, NECAP reading and math tests are administered in grades three through eight.

At Albert D. Lawton School, 82 percent of students scored proficient or above in reading, and 74 percent scored proficient or above in math. “ADL reading and math NECAP scores reflect our increased focus on literacy across the content areas, with increasing numbers of students scoring at the ‘Proficient with Distinction’ level,” ADL Principal Laurie Singer said.

At Thomas Fleming School, 78 percent of students scored proficient or above in reading, and 73 percent scored proficient or above in math. “In reading and math, we have seen a noticeable shift of students moving from ‘Proficient’ to ‘Proficient with Distinction,’” Thomas Fleming Principal Daniel Ryan said.

Students at Hiawatha Elementary School and Summit Street School continued to perform above the state average.

At Hiawatha, 75 percent of students were proficient or above in reading, and 75 percent were proficient or above in math.  ”Although this is satisfactory, our staff will continue to adjust curriculum delivery and instructional interventions to improve the performance of all students,” Hiawatha Elementary School Principal Tom Bochanski said.

At Summit, 85 percent of students were proficient or above in reading, and 87 percent were proficient or above in math. “Our effort around the area of writing to help students include more details and  thinking has paid off,” Summit Street School Principal Mary Hughes said.

At Westford Elementary, 82 percent were proficient or above in reading, and 77 percent were proficient or above in math. “Westford School’s reading and math NECAP scores reflect a continued trend of high achievement for our students,” Westford School Principal David Wells said.  “We will continue to focus our attention on teaching all of our students the essential content, concepts, and skills in each subject.”

These results will be used for school improvement and accountability.  “In the weeks and months ahead, we will be examining the results to look at system-wide trends and individual student performance,” Deweese said.  “Our analysis of these results will help us better understand the relationship between teaching and learning, enabling us to sustain or adjust our instruction to continue our standard of high quality education.”