Grade 3-8 Math

2 Regents: Raising Standards, with Extra Help to Achieve Them The Regents approved new, higher math standards in March A grade-by-grade core curriculum based on those standards went to the schools for the beginning of the school year. Since then, schools have worked very hard to master this more demanding curriculum.

3 Regents: Raising Standards, with Extra Help to Achieve Them This year’s results show the progress among many schools. High Need Schools overall especially improved. The achievement gap narrowed, as more Black and Hispanic students reached higher standards.

4 Regents: Raising Standards, with Extra Help to Achieve Them Still, this is not enough. We cannot rest until we have closed the achievement gap. That will take more time and hard work. But these results do show that many schools are taking actions that work. In today’s news conference, we’ll discuss these results and what the schools are doing to achieve them.

5 Raising Achievement This year, math scores increased at all grade levels, 3 through 8. Grade 4 and 8 math scores improved from last year. They have also improved from 1999, when the first 4 th and 8 th grade tests were given. This has happened, even with the higher math standards adopted in 2005.

6 Achievement: When the first 4 th grade test was given in 1999, 67% of students met all the standards. This year, 80% did. In 1999, 38% of 8 th grade students met the standards. This year, 59% did.

7 Achievement: Scores also improved from last year to this year. Across grades 3-8, 66% of students overall achieved the standards in % achieved the standards this year. The increase was especially notable in the middle grades – 5, 6, and 7.

8 Narrowing Achievement Gap The achievement gap has narrowed. Last year across grade 3-8, 46% of Black students achieved the standards. This year, 55% did. Last year, 52% of Hispanic students achieved the standards. This year, 61% did. White students increased from 76% to 82%.

9 Achievement is up statewide, especially in grades 5-8. Across grades 3-8, almost 73 percent of students met the math standards. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4 Number of Students Tested Grade 3 = 201,956200,217 Grade 4 = 202,791199,391 Grade 5 = 209,242203,956 Grade 6 = 211,428206,220 Grade 7 = 217,308213,436 Grade 8 = 219,414215,415 Grades 3-8= 1,262,1391,238,635

10 In 2007, the percentage of students showing serious academic problems decreased at each grade level. Still, one in eight 8 th graders scored at Level 1. Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1

11 At all grade levels, the mean score increased. The largest increase was at grades 6 and 7, the smallest at grades 4 and 8. At each grade level, a score of 650 signifies meeting the standards.

12 Results by Need/Resource Category

13 Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4 Across grades 3-8, a larger percentage of students met the standards in every category this year. But the biggest gains generally were in the High Need School Districts.

14 Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1 Across grades 3-8, fewer students showed serious academic difficulties this year in every need/resource category. Still, the percentage in the Big 4 Cities remained relatively high.

15 In New York City, the percentage meeting the standards increased at every grade level. In the cohorts of students who are now in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8, a larger percentage of students met the standards this year than in Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

16 In the Big 4 Cities, the percentage meeting the standards increased at every level except grade 4. In the cohorts of students who are now in grades 4, 6, and 8, a larger percentage of students met the standards this year than in Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

17 Results by Racial/Ethnic Group

18 A Narrowing Achievement Gap Although the gap is still too large, the percentage of Black and Hispanic students meeting the standards increased especially this year across grades 3-8. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

19 Across, grades 3-8, the percentage of Black and Hispanic students who showed serious academic progress especially declined this year. Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1

20 The percentage of Black students meeting the standards increased significantly at every grade level, except grade 4. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

21 The percentage of Hispanic students meeting the standards increased significantly in the middle grades. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

22 The percentage of white students meeting the standards increased by varying amounts at every grade level. The achievement gap narrowed, since the increase was greater for Black and Hispanic students. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

23 Results for Students with Disabilities

24 The percentage of students with disabilities meeting the math standards increased in 2007, although the results overall are still far too low. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4 Grade 3 = 27,045 26,780 Grade 4 = 29,043 28,327 Grade 5 = 30,290 29,960 Grade 6 = 30,077 29,040 Grade 7 = 29,791 29,659 Grade 8 = 29,539 29,305 Grades 3-8= 175, ,071 Number Tested

25 In every grade, a smaller percentage of students with disabilities showed serious academic problems this year. Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1

26 Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4 Across grades 3-8, every need/resource category improved. Students with disabilities in Low Need Districts were 3 times as likely as those in the Big 4 Cities to meet all the standards.

27 Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1 Fewer students showed serious academic problems across grades 3-8 in every need/resource category improved. Students with disabilities in the Big 4 Cities were about 4 times as likely as those in Low Need Districts to show serious academic problems.

28 Results by Gender

29 The disparity in graduation rate is foreshadowed by the larger percentage of girls than boys who met the standards in grades 7 and 8 this year. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

30 Boys were somewhat more likely than girls to show serious academic problems this year. Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1

31 Results for the Big 5 Cities

32 Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4 Across grades 3-8, in four of the Big 5 districts, more students met the standards this year than in Performance varied substantially among the Big 5.

33 Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1 Fewer students showed serious academic problems this year in each of the Big 5.

34 Raising Achievement This year, math scores increased at all grade levels, 3 through 8. Grade 4 and 8 math scores improved from last year. They have also improved from 1999, when the first 4 th and 8 th grade tests were given. This has happened, even with the higher math standards adopted in 2005.

35 Achievement: When the first 4 th grade test was given in 1999, 67% of students met all the standards. This year, 80% did. In 1999, 38% of 8 th grade students met the standards. This year, 59% did.

36 Achievement: Scores also improved from last year to this year. Across grades 3-8, 66% of students overall achieved the standards in % achieved the standards this year. The increase was especially notable in the middle grades – 5, 6, and 7.

37 Narrowing Achievement Gap The achievement gap has narrowed. Last year across grade 3-8, 46% of Black students achieved the standards. This year, 55% did. Last year, 52% of Hispanic students achieved the standards. This year, 61% did. White students increased from 76% to 82%.

38 What Have the Regents and SED Done to Raise Achievement? Approved new, higher math standards, developed by educators statewide. Eliminated uncertified teachers statewide. Worked closely with schools to produce a well- defined, grade-by-grade math core curriculum based on those standards. Worked with Big 5 math directors, BOCES, other math experts to reach a common understanding of the new curriculum and the best ways to implement it in the schools.

39 What Have the Regents and SED Done To Raise Achievement? Worked with math teachers across the State to produce a “Math Toolkit” for grades 3-8, available online. Developed an extensive training and professional development program with the help of math teachers statewide to ensure schools and teachers learn and use the curriculum. Conducted extensive training led by expert math teachers for schools statewide.

40  Set high expectations for all students.  Partnered with local colleges to provide training and mentoring.  Aligned local curriculum to the standards and paced topics to correspond to the grade-by- grade curriculum.  Analyzed individual student data to determine whether help was needed, and of what type.  Held weekly teacher meetings to plan and review student progress. Gave both formal and informal teacher-to-teacher support. What Successful Schools Did To Improve Student Performance in Math

41  Principal made daily classroom visits to support both teachers and students.  Provided math and English instruction by the same teacher at the elementary level, with recognition that much of math teaching involves teaching literacy.  Used ongoing, real-world assessment to reinforce teaching.  Students helped fellow students under the direction of teachers.  Students got added support through computer-based learning. What Successful Schools Did To Improve Student Performance in Math

42  Used the “Math Toolkit” and other materials to identify gaps in curriculum and textbooks being used and produced supplementary materials to ensure comprehensive instruction at each grade level.  Created a web page to ensure state-level materials were communicated directly to key leaders and math teachers.  Math experts offered extensive professional development on the curriculum. What Successful Schools Did To Improve Student Performance in Math

Grade 3-8 Math