Beech Tree News Network

The Kentucky Department of Education has released the results of the new statewide assessment system, Unbridled Learning accountability tests.  This new accountability system is based on a more rigorous system of working toward college and career readiness, and also uses components such as achievement, gap, growth, and graduation rate, rather than a determination of students’ basic skill levels in subjects like math and reading. When the state adopted the new Unbridled Learning Accountability Model, officials hoped it would be used as a tool for schools to see what changes they can make to help improve test scores.

The Unbridled Learning model is one of continuous improvement, and schools and districts now have a wealth of data to use as they plan for improvement in student learning and achievement.

Butler County Superintendent Scott Howard said this break down of data will be able to help the schools to focus on areas that they may need improvement.

“It will show us what we are doing right and it also show specifics of groups that we need to target,” added Howard.

The data sets break down each grade level into different demographics by sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and learning disabilities. These sets of data are then compared to the state.

                                           Overall Score        State Average
Butler County District             48.7            55.2   
Butler Co. High School             52.5            54.8
Butler Co. Middle School          45.1            53.5
Morgantown Elementary         48.9            57.3
North Butler Elementary         53.0            57.3

Butler County High School
Butler County High School is listed as a school that Needs Improving (define by the Kentucky Department of Education as a school scoring below the 70th percentile in the state) and a Focus School in Writing for special education students. (The KDE defines a focus school as one that either scored in the lower 10 percent in the state or had a group of students scoring significantly low.) Butler County High School had five categories (worth 20 points each) combined to reflect their overall score of 52.5 out of a possible 100. 

Achievement: 11/20
Gap: 6.3/20
Growth: 10.2/20
College/Career Readiness: 9.3/20
Graduation Rate: 15.7/20

Principal Pat O’Driscoll summarized the test scores for the Board of Education in the recent board meeting.  According to O’Driscoll the concerns at BCHS are the reading and writing scores.

“We need to emphasis reading in every subject area,” said O’Driscoll.  Reading scores are 12.7 points below the state average.

“We are very pleased with our math scores, which show our students scored 11.6 points above the state average,” added O’Driscoll.

Butler County High School students scored 2.9 points above the state average in Science but were below the state average in Social Studies (6.2), Writing (3.9), and Language Mechanics(3).

“Our ACT scores are improving, the dropout rate is down, and we have made several changes in the schedule,” said O’Driscoll.

The entire school now functions on a block schedule with four -80 minute classes and one- 40 minute enrichment block. Clubs also meet during the enrichment block which eliminated out of class time for students.  Extracurricular trips (band, FFA, FCCLA, ect.) have been limited during the school day and only students passing all classes can attend such trips. All sophomores and juniors are required to participate in an ACT Prep program for at least 10 hours during the year.

“We (BCHS) like the focus on the ACT scores, this is something that is important to the students because it impacts their future,” said O’Driscoll.

North Butler Elementary
North Butler Elementary is listed as a school the Needs Improving.  The school had three categories: Achievement 20.7/30, Gap 12.5/30, Growth 19.8/40, combined to reflect their overall score of 53.0 out of a possible 100. 

                  NBES Average    State Average

Reading              47.7            48.0
Math                    26.5            40.4
Science               85.2            68.8
Social Studies    46.0            59.8
Writing                30.0            31.7
Language            53.7            49.1

According to Principal Jeff Jennings the staff has identified the following areas of concerns:  timed tests, cold reads, reading endurance, and the use of calculators.

“Students in the past have been allotted as much time as needed, now the tests are timed. We need to better prepare our students for cold reads (defined as read and respond) and reading of two to three pages instead of paragraphs,” said Jennings. 

Only third graders had been in the “Math In Focus” program prior to this year and their scores were significantly higher than the fourth and fifth graders according to Jennings.  Now all students are in the program and math goals have been set for all grades.

North Butler has also started a Buddy Reading Program and is building reading stamina through the Accelerated Reading Program and class work.

Morgantown Elementary
Morgantown Elementary is listed as a school the Needs Improving.  The school had three categories: Achievement 18.2/30, Gap 10.2/30, Growth 20.5/40, combined to reflect their overall score of 48.9 out of a possible 100. 

                    MES Average    State Average

Reading               40.2            48.0
Math                     21.6            40.4
Science                58.3            68.8
Social Studies    61.6            59.8
Writing                25.3            31.7
Language           29.6            49.1

Principal Greg Woodcock will be presenting  scores, gaps, and improvement plan at the December School Board meeting.

Butler County Middle School
Butler County Middle School is listed as a school the Needs Improving and a Focus school in reading of special education students. The school had four categories: Achievement 16.3/28, Gap 9/28, Growth 14.5/28, and College/Career Readiness 5.3/16, combined to reflect their overall score of 45.1 out of a possible 100. 
                    

                   BCMS Average   State Average

Reading               42.5            46.8
Math                     29.6            40.6
Science                61.3            61.8
Social Studies    37.1            58.6
Writing                28.3            41.4
Language            39.6            38.4

Principal Robert Tuck will be presenting  scores, gaps, and improvement plan at the December School Board meeting.

Go to http://applications.education.ky.gov/SRC/ to see the complete report card for Kentucky Schools.