CMT Scores Mostly Improve For Waterford Schools

More good news from test scores for Waterford Public Schools.

A day after the state released , which tests 10th grade students, they released scores of the Connecticut Mastery Tests, which tests third-to-eighth graders. CAPT scores rose dramatically after being down last year, and CMT’s also largely improved.

“This is good news,” Superintendent Jerome Belair said. “These results really indicate we are on track.”

Overall, CMT’s have been strong for a while at Waterford, Belair said. Still, 13 of the 18 tests improved this year, particularly in grade 3 writing, grade 4 writing and grade 7 math. The five tests that had fewer students hitting the goal target had a minor drop off and not a cause for great concern, Belair said.

The tests are in math, reading and writing. In fifth and eighth grade, a test in science is given as well.

In 11 of the 18 tests, 80 percent or more of the students reached the at-goal level, which is very strong, Belair said. In third grade, 70 to 78 percent of students hit goal on the three tests, but it is common to see third graders do the worst on the test because it is their first time taking CMTs, Belair said.

Next year, after budget cuts, the Waterford School District will have 24 fewer certified employees than this year. However, the goal is to continue to improve, not stay the same or go back, Belair said.

“The goal is always for continuous improvement,” he said, although added, “We will have to keep an eye on that.”

2010-11 CMT Scores

Grade 3:

Math - 70 percent goal, 87.2 percent proficient

Reading – 70.9 percent goal, 82.3 percent proficient

 Writing – 77.9 percent goal, 89.7 percent proficient

Grade 4:

Math – 78.7 percent goal, 93.6 percent proficient

Reading – 74.8 percent goal, 87.1 percent proficient

Writing – 80.7 percent goal, 95 percent proficient

Grade 5:

Math – 81.9 percent goal, 94.1 percent proficient

Reading – 69.4 percent goal, 83.3 percent proficient

Writing – 83.7 percent goal, 96.4 percent proficient

Science – 67.7 percent goal, 93.7 percent proficient

Grade 6

Math – 79.7 percent goal, 94.1 percent proficient

Reading – 85.7 percent goal, 93.2 percent proficient

Writing – 81.7 percent goal, 95.7 percent proficient

Grade 7

Math – 82.1 percent goal, 96.2 percent proficient

Reading – 86.3 percent goal, 93.4 percent proficient

Writing – 73.4 percent goal, 91.1 percent proficient

Grade 8

Math – 73.1 percent goal, 94 percent proficient

Reading – 87.7 percent goal, 92.4 percent proficient

Writing – 80.9 percent goal, 93.2 percent proficient

Science – 83.1 percent goal, 91.9 percent proficient