Valley View Sees Highest Proficiency Ever on ISAT, PSAE

Valley View School District 365U students demonstrated the highest proficiency on state standardized tests in district history during the 2011-2012 school year, school officials said in a board meeting Sept. 10. 

The district increased from a 79 percent overall student proficiency in 2010-2011 to 81 percent on the 2012 ISAT and PSAE standardized tests. It was the first time the district exceeded the 80 percent mark. 

“That is a celebration in itself,” said Venus Smith, assistant superintendent of K-5 education at the meeting. “Exceeding that 80 percent benchmark is a huge accomplishment.”

See increases and decreases in scores from individual schools here. 

Students in grades third through eighth take the ISAT, or Illinois State Achievement Test. All high school juniors take the PSAE, or Prairie State Examination, which includes the ACT.

Increases and decreases in reading and math

While overall the district saw an increase in proficiency, gains and losses at individual schools varied. (See the data from individual schools here.) 

Thirteen of 19 schools showed an increase in reading; nine schools showed a statistically significant increase (or more than 3 percentage points). Five of the schools showed a decrease, though none were statistically significant. Two schools remained constant. 

Nine of 19 schools showed an increase in math; five of which showed a statistically significant increase. Nine schools also showed a decreased in math; four of which were statistically significant. Two schools' scores remained constant. 

“Taking a look at our data, what it tells us is we’re moving in the right direction, but what it also tells us is we still have a lot of work to do,” said Rachel Kinder, assistant superintendent of education for grades 6-12. 

“Now is the time to refine and refocus our efforts and support that. Nothing new is coming. It’s a matter of supporting and getting better at what we’re doing and continuing to grow.”

Take it with a grain of salt

While school officials applauded gains on the tests, especially in light of systemic changes made in the past year, they also warned that the ISAT is faulty in determining student progress.

The PSAE is a much more rigorous test than the ISAT, officials said. More students meet or exceed state standards on the ISAT than the PSAE because the benchmark for the ISAT is lower. 

Soon, the ISAT will no longer be used to test student proficiency.

The new standardized test for younger students will set the bar much higher, and the number of students meeting and exceeding will drop for districts throughout the state. 

School officials urged parents to give the district’s MAP scores more credence than the ISAT. MAP, or Measures of Academic Progress, is an online assessment that measures mathematics, reading, and language usage. Students take the test multiple times within the school year to assess their progress.