Waterford Test Scores Improve With Age

Waterford's recently released test scores for the 2011-12 school year resembled a fine wine, as they both improved with age.

Waterford student’s Connecticut Mastery Test and Connecticut Academic Performance Test scores were generally well above the state’s average, although Superintendent Jerome Belair said that is hardly the benchmark Waterford should compare itself too. Instead, compared to last year’s test results, scores were generally lower than last year or the same in the younger grades, but were higher than last year’s scores in the higher grades.

The best example is the CAPT tests, which are only given to 10th graders in Waterford High School. This year’s CAPT tests were the highest scores in Waterford's history, with 90 percent of students hitting proficiency in all four categories: science, writing, reading and math.

“That’s fantastic,” Belair said. “Kudos to the high school staff.”

But in the younger grades, the scores were generally the same as last year or lower. Those scores caught up by around sixth grade, and eighth grade students posted the highest scores in Waterford's history.

Belair said the staff will look at the earlier grades, and try to figure out if the problem is from the curriculum itself or the instruction. However, the fact that the same group of students are showing tremendous growth over time is good evidence that the system Waterford has is working.

“I think we are happy with the way the scores came out,” hesaid. “But that’s not to say there couldn’t be improvement.”

This school year was Belair’s first full year as superintendent since taking over for . Also, this year the school district had – many of them teachers – because of budget cuts. 

Grade 3 2011

 70

Grade 3 2012

 64.5