SEPT. 10, 1997
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Oregon Test
Scores Are Up
Oregon students in 1997 scored
higher than students in previous
years on state math and reading
tests and maintained high cores on
writing tests. Students in grades 3,
5 ,8 and 10 were tested last spring.
After years o f flat math scores,
scores for grades 3 and 5 jum ped
three points and grade 10 increased
one point. Grade 8 rem ained the
same. Math scores for grades 3 and
5 are the highest in the seven years
o f state testing, while scores for
grades 8 and 10 match previous
highs.
Reading scores continued their
steady climb. Scores for grades 3,5
and 8 increased, while the grade 10
score held steady.
“We are seeing dramatic im
p ro v e m e n t in th e e le m e n ta ry
grades,” said State Schools Supt.
Norma Paulus. “Y ounger students
are experiencing the new higher
standards from the beginning o f
their education and the difference
shows in their scores. As more and
more students move through the
new system, we will see marked
im provem ent”
Standards are Higher
For the first time since state test
ing began, the tests now are con
nected to higher academ ic stan
dards. Last fall, the State Board o f
Education increased scores stu-
| dents are expected to achieve on
| the tests.
“We raised the bar m uch higher,”
said Paulus. “A lthough it will take
| time for students to reach the new
I
I higher expectations, this year’s re-
I suits show that students are step-
| ping up the academic ladder.”
I "W e need to keep in m ind that
I the new standards are m uch higher
I than ever before,” said Pualus. For
I example, students scoring 226 on
I the g rad e 10 sta te m a th te st
I achieved the proficient level ofper-
I formance in previous years. The
I new standard is 239.
In m ost cases, more students are
I meetingthe standards. Forexample,
J 62 percent o f third graders achieved
I the math standard com pared to 52
I percent in 1996. Fifty-nine percent
I o f fifth graders achieved the math
I standard com pared to 48 percent in
I 1996.
I Grade 8 and 10 m ath results are
I not as positive. Forty-nine percent
I
I
I
o f eighth graders met the standard,
up one percent from 1996, and 30
percent o f tenth graders met the
standards, down one percent.
I
A study in 1996 shows that stu-
dents who take tough math courses
in high school have little difficulty
meeting the standard. However, Or-
egon students trail students na-
tionally in the percentage who take
those classes.
Paulus praised Salem -K eizer
School D istrict’s “Algebra for All”
‘Build a firewall around instruc-
tionaltim e’
I
Protecting class time is critical,
said Paulus. “Schools need to build
a firewall around their classrooms.
Too many timesnatchers are grab-
bing instructional time. W e never
see a football gam e interrupted for
m ath practice, but math class is I
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interrupted all the time to get ready
for a football gam e.”
O ther program s which steal in
structional time, she said, include
the DARE program, pep rallies and
assem blies, d riv er’s education,
walk-a-thons, health screenings,
im munizations and fundraisers.
“They need to occur outside the
regular school day, not during it,”
she said. “Communities can start
taking care o f some o f these things
and not expect schools to do it all.”
Beginning in 1998-99, tenth grad
ers m ust meet standards on read
ing, writing and math tests to re
ceive a Certificate oflnitial mastery.
Except for Asians, minority stu
dents have more difficulty meeting
the new standards. For instance,
only 22 percent o f Hispanics, 26
percent o f N ative Americans and
27 percent o f Blacks met the grade
8 math standard. Fifty-eight per
cent o f Asians and 53 percent o f
W hites met the standard.
M in o rity stu d e n ts are e n ro ll
in g in p u b lic sch o o ls in h ig h e r
num bers. For exam ple, H ispanic
en ro llm en t increased 11 percent
la st sch o o l y e a r co m p ared to an
o v erall en ro llm e n t in crease o f 2
p e rc e n t.
For m any o f these students, lan
guage barriers, poverty and mobil
ity make learning more difficult.
Test results are available on the
Oregon Department o f Education’s
web page on the Internet (http://
www.ode.state.or.us)
"Back to
School" W ith
Experience
Corps!!
Puppeteers
needed
To Serve Lo
cal Schools
The Kids on the Block A w are
ness Program is seeking up to
eight volunteers to help present
elementary school puppet shows
he Experience Corps pro
aimed at stopping gangs and vio
gram, a national dem on
lence, vandalism, and sexual abuse.
stration project recently held their
Volunteers are trained in a particu
annual kick-off, to celebrate and
lar topic and in the art o f puppetry
bring together the teams from the
and then commit just tw o m orn
six participating schools in the
ings a month from October to May
fight to end illiteracy am ong
for school performances.
Portland ’ s First, Second, and Third
Fall training begins Sept. 11 and
grade children.
continues one-half day per week
The Experience Corps program
or six weeks.
consists of older adults (5 5+) work
“We have 40 dedicated puppe
ing in teams to organize projects
teers who gave more than 300 per
embracing the needs o f elem en
formances on 13 deferent topics to
tary schools and their com m uni
more than 26,000 school children
ties. The teams help to fill critical
this past year — throughout Mult
types opened up by school fund
n o m ah ,
W a sh in g to n
and
ing cuts and the increased needs
Clackamas counties. But w e’ve
o f children. Our goal is to match
barely made a dent reach ing all the
older Americans whose consider
children whos lives are being torn
able experience constitute an ex
apart by violence, gangs and
traordinary repository o f help for
abuse,” says Denise Tomasovic,
our children. With their energy
executive director for Kids on the
and enthusiasm they can create
Block. “We believe our program s
service achievement, strengthen
do make a difference, but we want
ing parent-teacher organizations,
to do more. Serving 15-20 schools
and developing and implementing
out o f 300 with a given topic just
after-school programs.
isn’t good enough. But we need
Our dedicated m em bers at O.P.
help to do m ore.”
Lent Elementary School invite you
Kids on the Block programs
to join them in their “back to
use child-size puppets to help
school” poetry readings. This
children learn to understand and
project, called “poetry break” in
accept disabilities and other dif
spires children to expand their read
ferences in one another, and how
ing and comprehension skills while
to stay safe in difficult situations.
exposing them to other forms o f
W orking in pairs, the puppets
literature and diversity. The event
present a short skit and then an
will take place on Tuesday Sep
swer children’s questions, ad
tember 2, 1997 at9:00a.m .
dressing fears and concerns in a
We hope that you can attend
simple, non-threatening way. Each
our “Back to School” with Experi
program takes about 25 minutes,
ence Corps. If you have any ques
including Q& A. Teachers receive
tions or wish to confirm, please
follow-up materials and discus
call the Experience Corps staff at
sion questions.
249-0469.
T
¿OS
Dr. Dapo Sobomehin of Portland with his son Remi and friend
Andromeda Thomas enjoy a light moment during summer vacation.
Sobomehin is executive director of Operation EASY,
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Portland
Community
College
Cascade Campus
4 th Annual High
School C ssoy
Contest
Announced
program book: “My T urn” Essay:
student Voices,” which will be dis
tributed at high schools nationwide.
“We are committed to helping stu
dents get into college,” said Johathan
Grayer, Kaplan ’ s president and CEO.
“This contest not only provides stu
dents with funds for school, but it
serves as a forum through which they
can voice their opinions on key is
sues that will impact their future.”
“Our goal is to honor the best and
brightest o f the nation’s young writ
ers,” said Richard M. Smith, editor-
in-chief and president o f Newsweek.
“And we hope this contest will en
courage all students to develop their
writing talents.”
The first-place w inner will also
receive a free K aplan PS A T , SAT or
ACT course or product, subject to
availability. Students are asked to
subm it a 500-1,000 word essay on
one o f six designated topics. Entries
must be accom panied by an official
entry form and postmarked by March
27,1998.
For a complete entry packet, in
cluding official rules and official en
try form, students should contact
their guidance counselor, or call
K aplanat l-800-K A P-TEST(orvisit
th e
K a p la n
w eb
site
at
www.kaplan.com).
Kaplan Educational Centers is one
o f the nation’s prem ier education
com panies, providing individuals
with a full range o f resources to
achieve their educational and career
goals.
W ith 1,200 locations throughout
the U.S. and abroad, Kaplan has
served 3 m illion students in its na
tionally-recognized test preparation
courses.
In addition, Kaplan offers admis
sion services, student loan inform a
tion program s career services, indi
vidualized study programs for gram
mar school students and educational
tools for universities and businesses.
Kaplan is a wholly-owned sub
sidiary o f The W ashington Post
Company.
The connection
obstacles to build a solid foundation
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Throughout the times o f struggle, it
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fo r to d a y 's y o u th .
A link to history is nurtured by a
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