16 Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday, December 5, 2002 Test scores (continued from page 1) dents at Lake-Noxen and 58.4 percent at Lehman-Jackson at the proficient or above proficient level. Middle school scores show 50.9 percent are proficient and the high school is at 49 percent proficient. “We're using them (test scores) to identify weaknesses and strengths in curriculum,” said Roberts. “It becomes like the fox hunt — what are we not doing that we should be.” Roberts said the district uses the test scores to identify problem areas and then create changes in curricu- lum. He said they hired a dis- trict-wide - curriculum director last year to help with the process. Michael Speziale, Assistant Superintendent of Dallas School District, said this year his dis- trict has not identified any areas they see as problematic. “Overall we are very pleased with our scores,” said Speziale. “Pretty much across the board we're looking at our scores being pretty good.” Dallas saw no decrease at the lower and middle school levels, but did see 60-point drop in its eleventh grade reading score. “We expect fluctuation, we look for patterns,” said Speziale. He said administrators don’t be- come concerned about shrinking test scores until they see a pat- tern take shape for two or three years in a row. J Speziale said five years ago they saw a pattern emerge that indicated writing ability could be improved. He said they ad- dressed the issue by adding a writing course in the middle school. As a result they have seen dramatic increases in writ- ing scores at the middle and high school level. Dallas's proficiency levels in math show Wycallis Elementary students at 71.9 percent profi- cient or better and Dallas Ele- mentary at 70.5 percent profi- cient. The middle school is at 59.5 percent and 56.9 percent of high school students score in that range. In reading, the elementary schools start out at 75 percent proficient and advanced for Dal- las and 82 percent for Wycallis. The middle school shows 78.5 percent proficient while the high school is at 69.9 percent. To help schools in Pennsylva- nia achieve 100 percent profi- ciency levels, the state Depart- ment of Education has created what is called the stepped method for schools to follow. The method outlines what percent- age of students must be in the proficient or advanced category on the PSSA every year between 2002 and 2013 to achieve 100 percent by 2014. The guidelines state that 35 percent of students for math and 45 percent for reading are at proficient levels for the 2002 academic year. Both Dallas and Lehman school districts exceed those starting points and are at least five years ahead of sched- ule. According to the No Child Left Behind act, if proficiency levels Lecture on ‘Big Bang Theory’ at Penn State Timothy Lawlor, Ph.D., assis- tant professor of physics and as- tronomy at Penn State Wilkes- Barre, will deliver a lecture enti- tled “Big Bang Cosmology and the History of the Universe” on Thursday, December 5 at 12:15 p.m. in the campus Science Cen- ter 101. Dr. Lawlor will review the current, leading theory of the origin and evolution of the uni- verse, how it became the promi- nent theory, and observational evidence that supports it. As part of the Scholarly Lec- ture Series, this discussion is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 675-2171. Send The Dallas Post to a friend. It makes a great gift. Call 675-5211 to order. HIRE@ALER VANE HOLIDAY g[0]8]& NOW OPEN SUNDAY 12-4 United Penn Plaza - 288-6188 are not met, a school can be designated “in need of improve- ment.” Upon this designation, students would have the right to transfer to a better performing school. In addition, funds for what are called “supplemental education services,” would be made available. Daily 7:15 Sat/Sun/Wed 2:15/4:15; Fri/Sat 9:00 COMING DECEMBER 17 “It's a Wonderful Wife” Sponsored by COMMONWEALTH Telephone Enterprises j Shows at 2, 5, 8 - FREE First Come, First seated 836-1022 www.dietrichtheater.com Showtimes effective Friday 12/6/02 Beginning in the 2007-08 school year, science achieve- ment will also be tested. “I am satisfied with the test scores. It doesn’t mean we aren't going to work harder and by law were going to have to raise those scores,” said Roberts. 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