Farrell works to raise pupils' poor test scores

Sunday, August 27, 2006 The state wants all pupils to be 100-percent proficient by 2014. By LAURE CIOFFI VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU SHARON, Pa. — Farrell schools Superintendent Richard Rubano knows he has his work cut out for him. His school district probably fared the worst of all the districts in Mercer and Lawrence counties on Pennsylvania's System of School Assessment tests, which were released to the public last week. Rubano, who has had the test results for about three weeks, said his district is preparing to write a corrective action plan with the help of the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV in Grove City. But already in place this year will be mandatory Saturday tutoring for those pupils not meeting reading and math standards as well as new requirements and tutors for student athletes. "We are taking a very serious approach to all of this," Rubano said. "The emphasis in Farrell is not going to be on athletics. The No. 1 goal is education." Part of program The district is part of the Gov. Ed Rendell's Project 720 program that requires more college level and advanced courses be taught, including four years of math and advanced English, three years of science and social studies and two years of a foreign language. "We know our work is cut out for us, but we intend to see it's accomplished," he said. Karen Ionta, Hermitage Schools superintendent, said her district is constantly realigning its curriculum based on test scores. "It's an ongoing, sophisticated process that goes across every grade level," she said. The recently implemented statewide testing of grades three through eight, along with grade 11, will help, she said. Previously only grades five, eight and 11 were tested and those tests were used to determine — along with graduation and attendance rates — whether a school was meeting state standards. While only those grade level tests will be used as part of the state's Adequate Yearly Progress reports, all pupils in grades three through eight and 11 started taking standardized tests. New Castle Area Schools Superintendent George Gabriel said those new grades will allow his district to track pupils who aren't performing well and give them more help. He said on this last round of tests pupils on all grade levels made gains from previous test scores, even though there was a dip in the high school's scores. Other districts Mohawk School District is also finding the expanded testing helpful. Kathy Kwolek, assistant superintendent, said her district has even implemented additional benchmark assessment tests which are given four times a year on computer. The pupils' test scores are instantly tracked. "We are trying to catch these kids on the border," she said. Acting Sharon City Schools Superintendent Michael Calla said his district has been pretty consistent in its overall scores from these new test scores compared with the previous year. While they are meeting the current state standards of 54 percent proficiency in reading and 45 percent proficiency in math, he worries about the state goal of 100 percent proficiency by 2014. Every few years the state increases the percentage of pupils it expects to be proficient. "I feel it's going to be difficult. One-hundred percent is an excellent goal, but realistically, we know students learn at different paces," he said. cioffi@vindy.com