State releases MAP test results

Callaway superintendents weigh in on results, expect more analysis next week

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has publicly released MAP test results for the 2013 school year.

All four Callaway County school districts were included in the report on the test, which for the first time was evaluated by new Missouri School Improvement Program 5 (MSIP5) standards. The state moved to these new standards after receiving a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which required states to establish stringent achievement standards through annual testing and academic progress.

This spring, third through 11th grade students in each district took the Missouri Assessment Program test, a standardized test which evaluates students in English and language arts, science, math and social studies. The percentage of students who scored proficient or better in each subject for each district or as follows:

•Fulton

English: 54 percent

Math: 53.6 percent

Science: 60 percent

Social Studies: 36.1 percent

•North Callaway

English: 55.5 percent

Math: 54.3 percent

Science: 66.7 percent

Social Studies: 39.4 percent

•South Callaway

English: 53.5 percent

Math: 57.8 percent

Science: 70.3 percent

Social studies: 52.2 percent

•New Bloomfield

English: 47.8 percent

Math: 51.9 percent

Science: 51.5 percent

Social studies: 43.8 percent

Fulton superintendent Jacque Cowherd said he wasn't ready to discuss specifics on how the district and each student demographic scored, but was overall happy with their performance.

"I'm pleased we retained our status as an accredited district," Cowherd said. "I think there's some areas we've shown some improvements and some areas we need to look at."

Bryan Thomsen, North Callaway's superintendent, expressed a similar sentiment. He said that Assistant Superintendent Nicki Kemp would further evaluate the detailed DESE report for a presentation to the school board at their next meeting.

"For me, I was looking at the overall part in the APR report," Thomsen said. "We did a 92.1, which I'm really excited about. Our staff worked so hard to keep the accreditation with distinction label, so to do that again this year is really exciting."

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.