By Jennifer Griswold
The Oklahoman
Norman Public Schools' test scores continued to climb on 2007
standardized testing, with one school reaching a perfect score for
the first time in district history.
McKinley Elementary School was the first school in the
district to score a perfect 1500 on the Academic Performance Index.
The scores are based on a combination of student math and reading
scores on standardized testing and attendance rates.
Principal Terry Hopper said the school has a tradition of
excellence. It previously has been named a Blue Ribbon School by
the U.S. Department of Education. The school was established in
1922, and many of its 312 students have parents, grandparents and
great-grandparents who also attended elementary school there,
Hopper said.
"There's a tradition of families feeling good about this
school and wanting their children to come here too," he said.
Hopper attributes the school's high test scores to a focus on staff
development. Teachers attend workshops to keep up with the newest
trends in education.
"Things change over the years, and it's our responsibility
to keep up with the latest ideas," he said.
Involved parents also play a role in the school's success.
After-school reading, math and science clubs led by the parents
reinforce what students are learning in the classrooms with fun
activities, he said.
But a test score isn't the school's ultimate goal. "Our
game plan is to make sure our kids do well not just on the test,
but that they are successful students. If you focus on instruction,
you'll get the results," Hopper said. The school uses the scores to
identify skills each student needs to work on, and then create a
plan to meet that student's needs.
"McKinley is a great school with talented students, great
staff and engaged parents," Norman Public Schools Superintendent
Joe Siano said. "They're a model of success."
On a larger scale, district officials look at the test
scores to pinpoint groups of students that may have problems, Siano
said. The tests break down scores by groups, so district officials
can compare students by sex, race or economic background. "It's a
tool to improve, and we've improved overall. But we still have
challenges," he said.
Test scores for economically disadvantaged students,
students who require special services, and those whose first
language is not English are still lagging behind other students, he
said. The goal is to close those gaps.
Administrators have developed plans for each district
school to address their particular weaknesses, he said. The
district also has beefed up its English Language Learner Program to
serve the growing number of students who are learning English. The
number of students who need that program has grown by 13 percent in
the last three years, Siano said.
Test scores for the district have continued a steady
upward trend during the last six years. In 2002, the district's
score was 1119. This year the district posted a score of 1382.
Several of the district's schools have surpassed the 1400 mark on
the test. The goal is for all schools to reach an API score of 1500
by the 2013-14 school year which would indicate all students are
proficient in reading and math.
