During the Northampton School Board meeting on Monday, May 8, Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik and Assistant Superintendent Michelle Schoeneberger provided academic updates on 2022 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) results, projected Star assessment scores, and academic remediation contracts for students.
The PSSAs are state standards-based assessments that show student and school performances for proficiency in English and language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science and technology based on grade level. Students in Grades 3 through 8 are assessed in ELA and math, and students in Grades 4 and 8 are additionally assessed in science. The Star assessments measure students’ reading and math skills, monitor achievement and growth, and track how well students understand skills aligned with state and common core standards.
Schoeneberger revealed the spring 2022 Northampton Area School District PSSA results that the state recently released.
For ELA, the district received the following scores: Grade 3 had a 64% proficiency score with the state average showing a 52.3% proficiency score and a 65.7% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 4 had a 65% proficiency score with the state average showing a 52.2% proficiency score and a 66.1% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 5 had a 63% proficiency score with the state average showing a 53.6% proficiency score and a 64.3% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 6 had a 47% proficiency score with the state average showing a 56.1% proficiency score and a 60.6% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 7 had a 57% proficiency score with the state average showing a 57% proficiency score and a 51.4% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; and Grade 8 had a 52% proficiency score with the state average showing a 55% proficiency score and a 62.9% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment. Therefore, NASD scored higher than state proficiency averages for Grades 3, 4 and 5, lower than state proficiency averages for Grades 6 and 8, and was aligned with the state average for Grade 7.
For math, the district received the following scores: Grade 3 had a 58% proficiency score with the state average showing a 47.7% proficiency score and a 58.7% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 4 had a 55% proficiency score with the state average showing a 42.3% proficiency score and a 55.9% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 5 had a 43% proficiency score with the state average showing a 35.4% proficiency score and a 42.4% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 6 had a 24% proficiency score with the state average showing a 32.3% proficiency score and a 28% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 7 had a 32% proficiency score with the state average showing a 27% proficiency score and a 25.4% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; and Grade 8 had a 20% proficiency score with the state average showing a 22% proficiency score and a 27.3% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment. Therefore, NASD scored higher than state proficiency averages for Grades 3, 4, 5 and 7, and lower than state proficiency averages for Grades 6 and 8.
For science, the district received an 88% proficiency score for Grade 4 with the state average showing a 73.7% proficiency score, and a 57% proficiency score for Grade 8 with the state average showing a 51% proficiency score, so both science scores were higher than state averages.
Schoeneberger noted that Grade 6 is an area of concern that needs to be addressed in the district, which may be attributed to transition issues because this is not consistent with state average scores.
Additionally, Schoeneberger noted that the district has hired an individual who has been helping teachers incorporate new strategies that promote long-term retention and that changes are being implemented at the middle school.
Northampton Middle School Principal Michael Lopata expressed that there has been an upward trend in the Grade 6 Star assessments and that next year, the middle school will be “tweaking” the schedule so that the English and math periods will have double the instructional time. The lunch and Kid’s Team Time periods will be shortened to 30 minutes each to allow for double instructional time for math, the writing period will be combined with the language arts period to allow for double instructional time, and the social studies, science, and related arts periods will remain 46 minutes of instructional time each.
Following, Superintendent Kovalchik shared that the district will be voting on an update to the current high school policy for students that do not meet minimum passing scores. Currently, the minimum passing grade is 55% for students, which was lowered from 65% during the Covid-19 pandemic. Included in that percentage are the final exam weighted total of 12% of a students’ grade, with each of the four marking periods accounting for 22% of the weighted total.
However, the proposed change would make the final exam worth 8% of the weighted total and each marking period worth 23% of the weighted total, which more accurately displays a student’s progress over the course of each marking period rather than placing so much weight on one final exam.
Additionally, students that are below passing will also have a one-time chance per year for all classes during marking periods one through three to pull their grades up to the 55% minimum passing grade upon signing a remediation contract and completing all necessary assignments outlined by their teachers during a two-week period.
Approximately 400 students would have benefited from this opportunity this year, with the majority of those students being in Grade 9.
“The proposed remediation contracts will help give students a second chance to raise their level of learning,” said Kovalchik.
School board directors will be able to vote on implementing the proposed remediation contracts in the high school manual for the upcoming school year during the next Northampton School Board meeting on Monday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Northampton Area High School auditorium, located at 1619 Laubach Ave.
All other regular agenda items were approved by board members unanimously. A copy of the detailed agenda can be found on the district website for further review.
