Press Release:
ALL CALDWELL SCHOOLS AND THE DISTRICT MAINTAIN A “C”
Student growth data released on Wednesday by the state shows teachers and administrators in Caldwell Parish helped students surpass their goals.
The data indicated that 42% percent of the district’s students were between the 70th and 100th percentile in terms of "transitional student growth data," which essentially means improvements on testing expectations based on the previous year. "This means our teachers added value to the academic growth of the students,” Tollett said.
The iLEAP and LEAP scores improved in 3-8 grades from 69.8 to 70.4. Fourth grade students were 73% proficient which ranked them 21st of 71 districts. The eighth grade students were 76% proficient which ranked them 14th of 71 districts. The End of Course tests at Caldwell Parish High School improved from 58.9 to 65.2. Caldwell Junior High improved and moved from a letter grade of D to a letter grade of C.
The percent of students scoring Basic and above increased 1%. The percent of students scoring Mastery and above increased 2% which places Caldwell in the 90th percentile in the state. This means Caldwell Parish placed 2nd out of 71 districts in the state and 2nd of 14 districts in the Northeast.
The junior high was the only school to earn 3.3 progress points. The district was 49% proficient in ELA but this was 1% short of the 50% needed to earn progress points. Other districts received progress points which helped rank them above Caldwell.
The overall performance for Caldwell Parish was decreased because of the Cohort Graduation Rate and the Graduation Index (Strength of Diploma). Points from 0-150 are awarded for different types of diplomas. These rates caused an overall drop of 3.6 in district scores. District leadership has looked at next year’s graduation rates and has predicted both to increase along with an increase in ACT performance.
Upon the release of these scores State Superintendent John White stated, “These reports are tools, after all. They provide information educators and parents can use to make important choices on behalf of children, and they are best used not just to make judgments but to prompt actions.” Supt. Tollett agreed by saying, “The district is using the information received from the state to make instructional decisions for the future of Caldwell Parish students and schools.”