By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The new PARCC test scores are in for New Mexico schools and the results have been met with concern. (Link to the NMPED PARCC test results for Raton Schools)
The video on the PARCC web page however explains that the results for this first year are actually used to set a base line of where student skills currently are. This gives teachers and administrators a place to start from and to work toward for next year’s test. According to the video the first year test results are often lower since students are seeing the new testing material for the first time.
Parents of Raton students should see their child’s individual results sometime in November. The Raton school results for english language arts for 9th grade students show that only 27% of the students are in levels four and five that show a good comprehension of the work they are doing, while the results for the 11th grade students show that just under 45% have a good comprehension of the work they are doing. Math scores however show significantly higher percentages of students scoring in the lower levels. It is recommended that parents get involved and can help their child by doing math in everyday situations such as measuring items for cooking and family finances.
According to the video the test results are broken into five levels with levels one through three being the area where students need improvement in that subject. Levels four and five show students have a better understanding of the subject matter and while there is still room for improvement this is where the New Mexico Public Education Department would like to see all students.
Why has New Mexico gone to the PARCC test? The federal government has mandated that each state has to have some sort of standards based testing in place. New Mexico felt the PARCC test was better as it builds on the math and language arts skills year after year. (For more information about PARCC read these PDFs PARCC Common Questions_FAQ PARCC Fact Sheet 2 2015)
