County's Elementary Schools Outshine Middle and High Schools in Recent Test Scores

A review of recent standardized testing for Webster County's schools reveals that students at the County's four elementary schools test better for their grade levels than do students at the County's one middle and one high school.

For purposes of this article, only the most recent 2011-12 Westest2 data was considered. Students are tested in four areas: reading, math, science, and social studies. Results are grouped into five categories of proficiency on the tests: novice, below mastery, mastery, above mastery, and distinguished. Students are considered proficient in the subject matter if they score in the mastery, above mastery, and distinguished categories.

Here are the county-wide proficiency averages in each test area:

Reading:             39.84%

Math:                  41.38%

Science:             32.10%

Social Studies:   25.10%

*For example, county-wide, 39.84% of the students are proficient in reading, meaning they scored in the mastery, above mastery, or distinguished categories.

Here are the percentages of how each individual school scored in each test area:

                                Diana           Hacker Valley

Reading:                  58.68            50.00

Math:                       67.37            50.00

Science:                  35.54            52.50

Social Studies:        20.44            25.00

*Both Diana and Hacker Valley beat the county-wide averages in 3 of the 4 tested subject categories.

                                Webster Springs     Glade Elem.

Reading:                  47.56                      43.74

Math:                       55.54                      52.07

Science:                   34.79                      28.41

Social Studies:        25.60                       37.89

*Glade Elementary beat the county-wide averages in 3 of the 4 tested subject categories, and Webster Springs Elementary School beat the county-wide averages in all 4 tested subject categories.

                                 Glade Middle        High School

Reading:                   32.40                     34.79

Math:                        32.85                     30.11

Science:                    34.85                     15.23

Social Studies:          18.79                     26.25

*Both Glade Middle School and the High School beat the county-wide averages in only 1 of the 4 tested subject categories.

As parents and other concerned citizens ponder the proposed school consolidation plan, these recent standardized test scores may have some impact on the debate.  Readers who wish to view all types of test scores, including the results included in this article, can access the West Virginia Department of Education website at the following link: http://wveis.k12.wv.us/nclb/pub/index.cfm  [select a county, select a school, then select a data report: "Westest2 2011-12 overview" was selected for the statistics in this article].