The president said only 7% of Central Falls passed the state math test. True?

"And that's what happened in Rhode Island last week at a chronically troubled school, when just 7 percent of 11th graders passed state math tests -- 7 percent."

http://wbztv.com/local/central.falls.high.2.1528415.html



But this contradicts him:


Central Falls, one of the state’s poorest and lowest-achieving districts, is in its third year of a new literacy push, and has worked hard to boost student attendance, said Supt. Fran Gallo.

Scores rose nearly 6 percent in reading and 5 percent in math, with 51 percent of students proficient in reading and 35 proficient in math.


CF high school is actually *above* average on these tests:

"The state average in math moved up one point, with 54 percent of students at all levels scoring proficient.

However, high school math scores were much lower than the state average, with just 27 percent of the state’s 11,189 juniors able to do the algebra, geometry and statistics expected of them — the same percentage as last year."

http://www.projo.com/news/content/school_test_scores_02-04-10_8PHB6G9_v47.3987a02.html




So where did Obama get this "7%" number? Is there some other state math test?

issues.

Where did he get that figure?

i can't fathom he'd just stand up & tell a bald-faced whopper.

"Teachers acknowledge that change is needed — the school’s graduation rate is 48 percent, and only 7 percent of students are proficient in mathematics by 11th grade — but they say they are struggling against difficult odds."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/education/25central.html


Here it is also asserted and unsourced. I want to know where this number comes from too.

a 5% rise wouldn't bring it up so far from 7%.

the tests in the article were given around the end of jan/beginning of feb, it appears. (edit: oct)

that doesn't jibe with obama's "last week" either.

when are the nclb tests given?

are there provisions to test in e.g. spanish for spanish-speaking esl students?

The 35% figure looks like an overall math score for all grades statewide. The 27% figure is the disaggregated score just for high school juniors. From other places I've read, Central Falls' HS math scores were 7%.

But people keep throwing that figure around and I don't see it anywhere official. ??

AND, you know - 73% of the entire HS population cannot pass the test - so you pick on the poorest, highest minority school to make a "point"? That sucks.

It talks about state high school scores:

"The state average in math moved up one point, with 54 percent of students at all levels scoring proficient.

However, high school math scores were much lower than the state average, with just 27 percent of the state’s 11,189 juniors able to do the algebra, geometry and statistics expected of them — the same percentage as last year."


And it talks about central falls scores:


"Central Falls, one of the state’s poorest and lowest-achieving districts, is in its third year of a new literacy push, and has worked hard to boost student attendance, said Supt. Fran Gallo.

Scores rose nearly 6 percent in reading and 5 percent in math, with 51 percent of students proficient in reading and 35 proficient in math."


http://www.projo.com/news/content/school_test_scores_02...

Just like a good neoliberal.

But it's a good question. I'll scope out the RI Dept of Ed site and see if I can find anything.

being the HS.

http://www.cfschools.net/


hard to fathom scores would be over 35% in elementary/jr high & 7% in HS.


edit: found it: true.

central falls high school math proficiency:

2007: 3%
2008: 4%
2009: 7%

reading:

34, 45, & 55%.

page 17.

http://www.ride.ri.gov/Assessment/DOCS/NECAP/Reports_Results/10.2009/Fall_2009_RI_NECAP_Results_Public%20Report.pdf

There's a reason kids start dropping out of math as they get older. It just gets harder and more conceptual.

You'll see as a whole district they had 35% proficient/advanced.

http://reporting.measuredprogress.org/NECAPpublicRI/select.aspx

click on district summary report.

That was my first thought. Obama is citing the scores for only one grade level.

Yes, 7% proficient at 11th grade math.

http://reporting.measuredprogress.org/NECAPpublicRI/select.aspx

2007: 3%
2008: 4%
2009: 7%.

results as well as high school results.