Better at the numbers game: Cape Girardeau students are struggling with reading and writing but are making considerable strides in math

Reading: static/regressing. Math: getting better.

That's the summary report of Cape Girardeau students' performance on state tests. Missouri Assessment Program results were released this week.

With a few exceptions, district reading scores were either stagnant or lower, some as much as 20 percent. But, nearly across the board, math scores rose significantly. Out of 14 instances where growth was displayed in a grade level, 11 were in math.

"Our strategies proved to be quite successful," said Theresa Hinkebein, curriculum coordinator.

At Clippard Elementary, fourth-graders posted a 14.4 percent gain in math. For fifth-graders at the middle school, the growth was 13.9 percent. In comparison, statewide math scores dropped 0.4 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively, for those grades.

The district credits a new math curriculum and higher expectations for raising scores. In implementing the new curriculum, teachers worked to ensure the curriculum aligned between grades and that it covered state standards.

"Especially when there's more than one elementary school, it's easy to veer off in one direction. We had a time when we weren't all using the same methods, textbooks or curriculum ... With the consistent curriculum and new textbooks it helped everyone get focused and back in the right direction," Hinkebein said.

At the middle school, the material was presented at a more aggressive pace, principal Mark Kiehne said. Not wanting to leave any students behind, teachers previously spent more time on topics students were struggling with. This year, teachers presented more material, but looped back to difficult topics later. By then, because of student maturity and previous exposure, the material clicked, Kiehne said.

An intense focus on students "on the bubble" -- those just missing scoring as proficient or advanced -- was also implemented. Two math coaches led small classes for those students, which in turn reduced the number of students in other math classes. Next year, the middle school will try a similar approach with its literacy coaches.

"We raised our expectations, and the kids met it," Kiehne said.

The junior high took a similar approach, eliminating math classes that presented below-grade level material and effectively increasing the minimum standards. "We found that if you push them and challenge them, students will rise to the occasion," principal Roy Merideth said.

Leaders said they were at a loss for why similar overall growth was not evident in communication arts. They said they need time to review finalized reports and analyze the test items to find strengths and weaknesses.

"We'll take the MAP data, analyze and dissect it, and find the objectives we need to work on," Hinkebein said.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

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