Arizona Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction, John Huppenthal, announced at a Phoenix press conference today Arizona AIMS 2014 student results and AZ school and district Letter Grades
Sedona AZ (August 4, 2014) – Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal announced today the release of statewide results for the 2014 Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) for those students who tested this past spring, as well as 2014 A-F letter grades for all Arizona schools and districts.
Each year Arizona students, in Grades 3 through 8 and 10, are required to take the AIMS tests to measure their mastery of the various subject materials as outlined in the adopted state content standards. AIMS Math and Reading tests are taken in each of the required years, Writing is taken in Grades 5, 6, 7 and 10, and Science in Grades 4, 8 and 10.
Arizona saw a gain in both Math and Reading AIMS scores this year: From 2013 to 2014, the percentage of students passing the math assessment was steady at 61% with over 79% of students passing the reading test, an increase of 1%. Arizona students have steadily increased proficiency in both Math and Reading since 2010.
In Grade 10, Arizona saw gains in math and reading, up two and three percentage points, respectively: Writing scores jumped five points to 75% with sixty-four percent of tenth graders passing the Math portion of the AIMS test. Reading scores showed higher success with 86% of tenth grade students passing.
This was the first year impacted by the Move on When Reading Legislation (MOWR). Under the MOWR laws, in 2011, nearly 4500 students tested at the “falls far below” level, with more than 1600 students at-risk for being held back to repeat the third grade. This year, only 600 students could potentially repeat the third grade, showing a dramatic increase in third grade literacy.
A-F Letter Grades are based on the weighting of student performance on the AIMS tests and student academic growth from year to year, along with additional points awarded for high English Language Learner re-classifications, and significant reductions in dropout rates: Every school and district receives a report card with a grade that reflects their annual academic profiles.
In 2014, approximately 75 more schools across Arizona earned “A” letter grades when compared to last year. At the same time, the number of schools receiving a grade of B, C, or D fell.
“The majority of Arizona schools are doing quite well,” said Huppenthal, as 65% of schools are receiving A or B labels. “Arizona’s schools are improving. In fact, we found over 20% schools improved a letter grade over last year.”
At today’s press conference, Superintendent Huppenthal was joined by leaders from high performing schools and districts, such as Ash Fork Unified School District and Encanto Elementary School of the
Osborn School District, who shared their success stories on raising student achievement.
A complete list of AIMS test results by grade, school, district, charter and county can be found at azed.gov/research-evaluation/aims-assessment-results/ .
A complete list of A-F Letter Grades can be found at azed.gov/accountability/.
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B – Big Park Community School is a District School that serves 341 students in grades k to 8. Read that again!!!!!!
Upset, damn right. You’ve got 341 kids – equivalent to what some schools have in one grade and yours are spread across all 9 (K counts!!).
What’s wrong with you over there? That should be an A++++++ school with all your resources.
What are you complaining about in the Village? My property values took a dive based on this elementary school score. The buck stops at the Board. If it weren’t for SRRHS earning an A, we’d all be having a fit. What needs to be replicated at WSES with 50 kids per grade level on average that SRRHS does? Figure it out, administrators and Board. This parent wants to see an A next year. Get some educators and administrators and Board members in there who bust their buns for the kids. Stop the politics. Stop the empty headed progressive chatter that is “dumbing” down public education for these kids. Get down to teaching English, Math, Science, Writing and master those, then, throw in the extras. You’re cheating those kids of being a success by not giving them the basics on which to build. Stop reinventing an educational wheel designed to run perfectly. Or parents, send your kids to the Charter school. It’s doing a better job says the state.
GRADE C
West Sedona Elementary School is a District School that serves 451 students in grades k to 8. District Name: Sedona-Oak Creek JUSD #9
Sedona Charter School, Inc. 48 74 122
Sedona-Oak Creek JUSD #9 48 73 12
American Heritage Academy 46 81 127
Want us to come over and tell you how to educate your kids?
Education is the most important component of a successful child. No one can take away your education and in USA it is free. Every child is responsible to learn everything. There is no time not to learn. Happiness is earned by good character, honest word, integrity, trustworthiness, spiritual and physical morality. Children who watch parents lie, cheat, act carnally, and abuse trust relationships see failure. No excuses parents and children! Work hard, learn everything.
Get to work parents making kids achieve!
Public Education in Arizonan is at a crossroads right now. Issues of funding, testing and standards are all generating controversy.
I feel strongly that new direction is needed from the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The way to move Arizona Forward is to vote for David Garcia (D) on August 16th and on November 4th.
If you believe that a strong, vibrant PUBLIC SCHOOLS are vital for the future of Arizona I urge you to attend these two events an meet and hear Dr. David Garcia!!
Both of these events are in Sedona on Thursday August 14th. More details on times, locations and how to RSVP is on the attached fliers.
You can also contact me for more information!
We must support David Garcia! Visit his website dg4az.com for more information.
Karen McClelland
School Board member, education activist
and concerned voter