Catholic pupils prove their proficiency

Across the diocese, 100 percent of 10th-graders passed the writing test.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- More than 90 percent of the ninth- and 10th-graders in Diocese of Youngstown Catholic Schools passed state proficiency tests in 2002-03.
Data released by the diocese this week show that students in the six-county diocesan area met Ohio Department of Education requirements in each of the 12 areas assessed.
"Our students not only meet the minimum standards, but we exceed them," said Sister Brendon Zajac, the diocese's executive director of pastoral and education services. "We'd hope the community would not be indifferent to Catholic schools in our area because they really provide a tremendous service."
Percentage breakdown
Among diocesan ninth-graders taking the tests, 91 percent showed proficiency in math, 94 percent in science, 96 percent in citizenship and 98 percent in reading and writing.
Among 10th-graders, 95 percent were proficient in math, 98 percent in science and citizenship, 99 percent in reading and 100 percent in writing.
The diocesan attendance rate is 96 percent, and graduation rate is 99.5 percent.
The diocese releases data voluntarily and has agreed with the state to administer the proficiency tests to show accountability, Sister Brendon said.
Ohio Department of Education standards require that 75 percent of ninth-graders and 85 percent of 10th-graders pass each test. The standard for attendance is 93 percent and for graduation is 90 percent.
Among public schools in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, 23 of 45 school districts also met all 12 standards on which diocesan students were tested. The diocese also has schools in Ashtabula, Portage and Stark counties.
Iowa tests
Besides the state tests, diocesan school pupils surpassed national norms on 2002-03 Iowa tests of basic skills in grades kindergarten through seven.
The tests compare local pupils' performance in reading, language and math with the performance of pupils across the nation. Pupils scored as well as or better than at least 67 percent of pupils in all areas, with most percentiles in the 70s. Their highest score, in kindergarten language, was at the 83rd percentile. National norms for all of the tests is 50 percent.
Also released were scores from the 2002-03 Assessment of Catechesis/Religious Education among fifth, eighth and 12th grades. The assessments test pupils in each grade on eight domains, which deal with the tenets of the Catholic faith.
The average scores of pupils, considering a summary of all domains, was 75.6 percent for fifth-graders, 73.8 for eighth-graders and 70.4 for 12th-graders.
"Catholic schools are unique in that ... our emphasis is on the total development of the children relative to their faith development," Sister Brendon said. "Our society right now is at best indifferent about spiritual development. We are first and foremost a religious school, and that permeates into everything we do."
Other features
She added that other strengths of the schools are parent partnerships from families who make not only a financial investment but a time investment in the schools; administrators and teachers who know that working in a Catholic school is more than an 8-to-4 job; and a collaboration and support system that extends across six counties.
The Diocese of Youngstown has 42 elementary schools and six high schools. It serves about 10,100 elementary school pupils and about 2,800 high-school students.
viviano@vindy.com