EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT ON ERASURES IN WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT
OCTOBER 20, 2011
Dr. William Librera
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: The New Jersey State Department of Education (NJDOE) identified Ross Street School, Ford Avenue School, and Avenel Street School as three schools where erasures in the wrong to right category exceed two standard deviations beyond the mean number of erasures in schools taking the test.
ERASURES:
EXAMINATION: The examination included: •
Twenty seven interviews with teachers, principals, and administrators
•
Review of all correspondence from the NJDOE
•
Review of NJASK achievement in the three schools from 2008 through 2010
•
A meeting and a brief survey with all Elementary School Principals
• •
Review of all district materials and guidelines for testing The extensive involvement as well as discussion with the present Coordinator of District Testing, The Director of Personnel, and Teacher Association representative.
FINDINGS: 1.
Procedures for testing in the district are well constructed and monitored, utilized consistently for many years, and often exceed State of New Jersey requirements.
2.
No erasures are identified by the NJDOE in Grade 4 in all elementary schools as well no erasures beyond the state mean for thirteen of the sixteen elementary schools.
3.
Ross Street School and Avenel Street Schools have extensive test preparation emphasis throughout the school year that probably encourages many erasures. Ford Avenue is a small school that more easily is affected by a small number of student responses.
4.
Student Achievement in the three schools is generally above district averages but showed no significant change from 2008-2010 and that minimizes any accounting of improper procedures for achievement gain.
RECOMMENDATIONS: 1.
Request from NJDOE a report of the number of total erasures in all categories for each of the sixteen elementary schools as well as additional data about the Infit and Outfit report.
2.
Examine and study ways of emphasizing checking and rechecking by students that does not involve erasures at every step of the checking process.
3.
Provide a similar orientation/training for substitute teachers at the district level for those serving as Proctors so it has all substitutes getting the same testing training as classroom teachers.
4.
Continue to search for ways to limit the exclusive involvement of principals responsible for storing and keeping test sheets/materials until collected.
5.
Reexamine and alter, where appropriate, the content of Test Tips on the website so it is consistent with practice in the district.