Indicator 13: Number and percent of students achieving “Proficiency” level & above,
The FSM National Standardized Tests (NST) are the basis for measuring the percent of students in FSM achieving proficiency levels in their academic learning in mathematics, language arts and science. Last year in a joint effort to reassess student learning and achievement, a consortium of FSM educators decided to change the levels of proficiencies from the three levels (Mastery, Significant Improvement Needed, Not Proficient) to four levels of learning proficiencies (Advanced, Proficient, Basic, Below Basic). The reason for this decision is that most of the classrooms in the FSM could relate to these four levels of proficiencies as they reflect their classroom situations on providing evaluation to student learning outcomes. In addition to that, the pattern of reporting student proficiencies and outcomes as means for accountability measures tend to advocate the four levels by major educational agencies in the United States. We feel that this shift would be easier for our education systems to use. (The test results from the NST are used as the basis for reporting the levels of proficiencies). All of the tables below display student’s results excluding students from the state of Yap (no data submitted).
Proficiency Levels
NATIONAL 2008
6th Grade NST Language Arts
Table 12.1
Table 12.1 indicates the actual number of sixth graders who participated in the 6th grade English language arts test and results of the test which allocates them in the given categories based on their performance and abilities. Of a total number of one thousand three hundred six (1306) six graders who participated in the 2008 Spring NST tests, seventy six percent (76%) of them are considered not proficient in the English language. Ten percent (10%) are in the category of Basic and eight percent (8%) are proficient. The remaining five (5%) are placed in the Advanced category.
The table further indicates that the high percentage among these four categories is in the “Below Basic” section. This then suggests to us that higher percentages of our sixth graders are lacking the skills necessary to learn the language effectively and efficiently. A lot of factors could be attributed to reasons behind this. One of the main factors leading to this high percentage of students performing so poorly in most of the subject areas is that there are quite a high number of inadequate teachers who are not highly qualified and motivated to teach English as a second language. In many schools in the FSM, English Language is taught as if these students were first language speakers of English. FSM school systems definitely need highly qualified and motivated classroom teachers to teach English in the FSM.
Table 12.2
Table 12.2 is a simple analysis of year 2007 compared to year 2008. This year’s results are evident that there is a slide decrease in percentage comparing to previous year’s results. Speculation regarding factors affecting student’s performance is obvious; however, we cannot draw conclusions to what factors are affecting the 2008 results unless intervention programs are provided.
Proficiency Levels
NATIONAL 2008
NST Mathematics – 6th Grade
Table 12.3
The total number of sixth graders taking the mathematics test is one thousand two hundred forty three (1,243) sixth graders who participated in the 2008 NST Spring testing. Each of these tests (Math, English, and Science) are administered on separate days therefore the number of sixth graders is not the same in each case, due of absenteeism. As indicated in table 12.3, ninety percent (90%) of all these sixth graders are considered in the “Below Basic” category. This means that these students did not receive adequate and appropriate mathematical skills to deal with mathematical problems. In the “Proficient and Advanced” categories a total of twelve (12) sixth graders or one percent (1%) out of the 1,243 sixth graders who participated in this test possessed mathematics skills and could solve mathematical problems. Eighty-six of them or (6%) are at the basic level for mathematics at this grade level.
Proficiency Levels
NATIONAL 2008
For NST Language Arts- 8th Grade
Table 12.4
A total number of seven hundred thirty one (731) eight graders participated in the language arts NST test this year. Out of this number, fifty seven percent (57%) of them are not literate by the measure of this standard. Monitoring and evaluation of these subject area programs need to be conducted; therefore, appropriate learning intervention must be providing so that students would show significant difference in the following years.
Table 12.5
Table 12.5 shows a comparison of this year with last year’s results. There are evidences of both increase and decrease in the grade 8 test results; however, we have not attain the intended or desired goal which is to decrease the percent or number of students in the below basic category.
Proficiency Levels
NATIONAL 2008
NST Mathematics – 8th Grade
Table 12.6
Nine hundred twenty seven 8 graders took the math test and of that number only five percent (5%) or sixty nine (69) students performed at the Advanced level. Unfortunately, majority of students are still clustered at the Below Basic level.
Table 12.7
The results in this comparison table are telling us that the mathematics program needs to be improved because majority of the students are still remaining at the bottom of the scale.
Proficiency Levels
NATIONAL 2007
NST Science – 8th Grade
Table 12.8
The science test is administered only at grade eight. There are still no available test instruments for grade 6 and 10, but they are under construction. However, the science test has been administered in the FSM schools for all eight graders in the four states. The eight graders who participated in the NST science test totaled nine hundred fourteen (914). About ninety eight percent (98%) were be at the below basic level. There are no students at the advanced level, only five at the proficient level, and twelve at the basic level. The science program is not seen as a priority instructional program and the majority of our teachers shy away from imparting and teaching science because it is seen as being too challenging.
Table 12.9
Table 12.9 indicates comparison of school year 2007 and 2008 in the science test results for 8th grade. Looking at these results, there are more increasing number of students performing at the below basic level, and this may signal the need for program evaluation.
Proficiency Levels
NATIONAL 2008
For NST Language Arts- 10th Grade
Table 12.10
Among the four hundred eighty eight students in grade ten who participated in the NST 2008 Spring English language arts tests, there are about sixty eight percent placed in the “Below Basic” level and only four percent are at the Advanced level.
Table 12.11
Table 12.11 compares school years 2007 and 2008 for the 10th grade English language arts, and there is no sign of improvement this year.
Proficiency Levels
NATIONAL 2008
NST Mathematics – 10th Grade
Table 12.12
Table 12.12 represents six hundred 10th graders who participated in the mathematics NST test. There are more students performing poorly in the math program than in the English program.
Table 12.13
Table 12.13 represents the results of the NST for 2007 and 2008, nationally. We can see from this table some encouragement, in that there is a 3% decrease in students at the “Below Basic level” and slight increase at the “Proficient” and “Advanced” levels. If this pattern is maintained then we will know that our educational programs are working. Therefore, there will be a need to increase the level of instructional support through program development and research initiatives, in order to maintain these positive developments in the future.
