Shouldn't student achievement/proficiency be a top priority for the New Berlin School District and School Board?
“Based on preliminary 2006 data our 8th grade students who score as proficient or advanced on the WKCE language arts test have decreased 13% since 2003. Preliminary data indicates that this trend will continue. It is reasonable to expect the percentage of 8th grade students who are proficient or advanced on the WKCE language arts to be less than 75%.”-----quote from the Superintendent’s Recommended Budget (under Impact Statement #10, page 13).
A DECREASE in proficiency? And that trend is expected to continue? That’s disturbing!
Yet, among the reductions (cuts) cited in the 2007-08 Budget proposals are:
Staff Development/Curriculum Development - $46,070
Textbooks- $353,860 The Budget Impact Statement conveys that this reduction eliminates the purchase of instructional materials, which include textbooks, writing, vocabulary, reading materials, etc. that will be used for implementation of
(grades) 5-8 language arts curriculum (under development) scheduled to be brought to the School Board for approval in June. That curriculum’s implementation is scheduled for the 2007-08 school year.
Not surprisingly, Administration contends it will be more difficult to address the decline in 8th grade students' language arts performance without materials that support the new curriculum.
So, Administration tags this recommendation on at the end--- “Consider reinstatement of $220,000 to purchase instructional materials for the 5-8 language arts curriculum implementation and $40,000 for elementary math and science materials during the discussions prior to finalizing the 2007-08 budget.”
Ah, balance the budget by making reductions in areas like textbooks--but then ask the School Board to consider reinstating some funds before the Budget is finalized?
Click on this link:
District web site for access to the NBPS Budget proposals.
The following information re: WKCE (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations-Criterion Referenced Test) standardized testing can be found on the
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction web site: Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations - Criterion Referenced Test
At Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10
Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, the federal No Child Left Behind Act requires all states to test all students in reading and mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school (grade 10 under Wisconsin law s.118.30). These tests are referred to as the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination - Criterion-Referenced Tests (WKCE-CRT) and replace the WKCE reading and mathematics tests beginning in Fall 2005. Student performance on these assessments is reported in proficiency categories and used to determine the adequate yearly progress of students at the school, district and state levels.
