Anson testing scores still behind pre-pandemic numbers

ANSON — Testing and Curriculum Specialist for the Anson County School District, Joy Wallace, updated school board members on recent testing scores from the first semester of the 2023-2024 academic year.

Cautioning that scores reflect merely a snapshot of the school year so far, Wallace opened with good news. “English 2 students achieved 52% on EOC’s, 15% in the Spring, and 29% before the pandemic… it really shows quite a bit of growth, we are really proud of that,” cheered Wallace.

Math 1 scores remained low, coming in at 11%, where it was 13% prior to the pandemic. Math 3, also affected, scored 20% versus the higher score of 39% pre-pandemic. Biology 1 scored 25% in spring 2023 testing; further evidence that education across the board is lagging behind pre-pandemic scores.

Wallace defended the hard work of administration sharing, “We are still doing some recovery in biology, we still are not quite where we were… folks out at the high school are working hard on all of these subjects… doing lots of intervention… a lot of planning and trying to get our students proficiency on up.”

“I would just like to say that 52% in English is awesome! To all the teachers and administration, kudos to you for that,” praised board member Carol Gibson.

“For the next few weeks our English Learner students will be taking the Access test, which measures English proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, requires that all states test their English Learner students once a year in those four areas and Access is what North Carolina uses,” informed Wallace.

Wallace also explained that students in grades three through eight, and the yearlong EOC class students are gearing up for the start of NC Check-In’s.

“NC Check-In’s are formative assessments,” explains Wallace, “Which means they are used to help guide instruction. The teachers, instructional coaches, principals and administrators use the check in data to help with planning instruction so that they will have an idea of what students have already mastered and what they still need to learn.”

After updating the board on testing scores, Ms. Jennifer Collard addressed the board regarding solutions currently in action as well as ideas under discussion for future implementation.

Collard mentioned ongoing efforts to collaborate with administration from the high school to offer a blended classroom where an in person teacher collaborates their lesson plans with a virtual teacher.

“We currently have a state department coach that is working with Biology at Anson High School, along with Mr. Stinson. We have met and talked about going to a co-teaching platform through the North Carolina Virtual Public High School program, she added. ”

Collard shared with the board that a Literacy Specialist position, funded by the state, is now in place to serve Morven Elementary and Wadesboro Primary Schools.

“The goal of that is to help kids that are coming in that are not quite ready academically with print basics, like how to hold a book, how to turn a page… so we know that we have to really, really serve their needs and help teachers get students to close those gaps,” informed Collard.

Collard imparted a small anecdote with board members, “We have one school that their academic coach started coaching after Christmas so we took that coach over to Lilesville Elementary School where they have a great weekly planning meeting in place. This way the coach could see an example in practice and modeled for them in real time….The school district is spending more time in weekly planning sessions at schools that show a greater need,” concluded Collard.