10th-grade scores
on SAT drop in
reading, math

Sixth-graders in isle public schools
showed the most improvement

By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

Sixth-graders in Hawaii's public schools showed the biggest improvement in reading and math scores, according to results of the Stanford Achievement Test scores released yesterday.

Tenth-graders, however, showed declines in both reading and math compared to last year.

"I'm happy we're making progress, but not happy we're not able to move the entire system to the level we want," said superintendent Herman Aizawa.

The test is administered each spring in grades 3, 6, 8 and 10.

Highlight of yesterday's results:

Reading scores for sixth-graders returned to 1995 levels, from 70 percent last year to 77 percent scoring "average" or "high" this year. Math scores also increased to 80 percent from 78 percent last year.

Tenth-grade reading and math scores both dropped to lower than 1995 levels. Seventy percent scored average or high in reading, compared with 72 percent last year. Average or high math scores dropped from 78 percent last year to 69 percent this year.

Third-grade reading scores improved slightly from 62 percent scoring average or high last year to 63 percent this year. Seventy-four percent scored average or high in math, the same as last year.

Reading scores for eighth-graders rose slightly, while math scores dropped. Sixty-five percent scored average or high in reading, compared with 63 percent last year. Math scores dropped to 67 percent, compared with 72 percent in 1996.

Board of Education members say although they are happy with some of the improvements, they need to look at schools that aren't achieving success.

---

October 1997 SAT Scores Online

---

"It's getting to a point where we have to focus on schools seeing no movement or decline. We need to assess why and go in and help," said chairwoman Karen Knudsen.

The department also analyzed test scores of the same group of students as they moved from third to the upper grades.

"These longitudinal scores are more valuable as an indication of student achievement over time," said Patricia Ishimaru of the Department of Education's test development section.

The latest longitudinal scores show improvement from grades 3 to 6 but declines between grades 6 through 8. Grades 8 to 10 show mixed results.

The transition from elementary to intermediate school particularly is difficult, said board member Winston Sakurai. "There obviously needs to be additional support for middle schools."

Factors that can affect student performance on the test include knowledge of test-taking skills, ability to focus on class-work and homework, and knowledge of the basic skills being assessed, such as reading fiction, textbooks and passages of varying difficulty levels.

At least 20 percent of the questions are geared at one to two levels below the test-takers' grade level, 60 percent at grade level and another 20 percent at one to two grade levels above.

The department is working toward a more balanced assessment for students that is in line with the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards, Ishimaru said.

The Stanford Achievement Test, published by Harcourt Brace Educational Measurement, measures basic skills and is generic in content, she said. "The test doesn't match specific curriculum in the classroom."

Results for Aiea and Radford high schools were not included in this year's results because they participated in a special 10th grade test.

Schools with five or fewer students, such as Niihau, were not listed.

October 1997 SAT Scores Online

January 1997 SAT Scores Online