Scores at Blanchard, Central Middle schools improve

Missouri Assessment Program test scores for the Cape Girardeau School District were a mixed bag this year, with campuses such as Blanchard Elementary and Central Middle School showing improvement in certain subjects and others such as Alma Schrader showing drops.

Statewide results show proficiency rates in English, math and science fell. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education couldn't pinpoint why the scores declined, but said it could be because of new curriculum standards, bad weather resulting in reduced instruction time, and a "refreshed" Missouri Assessment Program test form.

Blanchard Elementary School continued its upward climb. Alma Schrader dropped in some areas. Central Middle School showed improvement in fifth-grade English language arts and math; and fifth-grade science scores rose from last year.

Students in grades three through eight take MAP tests. High school students take end-of-course exams in specific subjects tied to grades. The assessments are part of what the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education uses to determine a district's score on its annual performance report each year. Students can score below basic, basic, proficient and advanced on the exams, but the state looks at the sum of the proficient and advanced percentages.

The assessments are standards-based. When students are proficient, they are reaching those standards.

A third-grade student writes a lesson Tuesday at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

Blanchard Elementary

Sherry Copeland, Cape Girardeau School District assistant superintendent for academic services, said Blanchard, which teaches 333 students from prekindergarten through fourth grade, is one of the top schools in the state and always does well.

She said the school's cohort groups, or students going from grade to grade together, increased their performance in English language arts by 11.2 percent from their third-grade year. In math, the fourth-grade group increased 1.6 percent, Copeland said.

Blanchard principal Dr. Barbara Kohlfeld said her school did well across the board, attributing it largely to an atmosphere of caring and dedicated faculty and staff.

"In all things, the children come first. Our children are very well-behaved. They really want to learn," Kohlfeld said, adding that students are given lots of support, encouragement and praise.

"I think that it's important to have children who are well-behaved, because it makes them extremely teachable," Kohlfeld said. She said social skills are instilled in students from an early age.

"We use our time wisely," Kohlfeld said.

Fourth-grade teacher Gina Herzog said the reason for Blanchard's success is Kohlfeld.

"I think that Dr. Kohlfeld and the staff provide an environment that is essential for the students to learn. The students know that they're loved. They feel safe, and if anyone's making poor choices, Dr. Kohlfeld will take care of it, so we are able to teach all day long and not a minute is wasted," Herzog said.

Central Middle School

At Central Middle School, Copeland said, the Intensive Care Unit program was implemented and the school held its own or increased. In math, sixth-graders increased 8.1 percent from their fifth-grade year.

Superintendent Jim Welker said grade-to-grade tracking helps educators see whether students are progressing.

Central Middle School saw upticks in fifth-grade English language arts, going from 47.2 percent to 52.9 percent. Sixth-grade English dropped from 46.6 percent to 45.6 percent this year.

Fifth-grade math was 47.8 percent, up 0.1 percent from last year's 47.7 percent. Sixth-grade math was 55.8 percent, down from 57.1 percent last year.

Science rose from last year, going from 39.6 percent in 2013 to 44.9 percent.

Franklin Elementary

Franklin Elementary School's fourth-grade math scores improved from 23.8 percent to 24.6 percent, but its third- and fourth-grade English language arts scores fell.

Third-grade English language arts scores were 33.9 percent in 2013, compared to 28.4 percent this year. Fourth-grade English language arts was 27.9 percent, down from 31.7 percent last year.

In third-grade math, scores were 23.3 percent, compared to 44.1 percent last year. Fourth-grade was 24.6 percent, up from 23.8 percent in 2013.

Jefferson Elementary

Third-graders at Jefferson Elementary School scored higher this year in English -- 26.3 percent, compared to 23.8 percent. Fourth-graders scored 29.3 percent, down from 33.9 percent the previous year.

Third- and fourth-grade math scores at Jefferson rose this year. Third graders scored 31.6 percent, up from 25 percent, and fourth-graders scored 27.6 percent, compared to 17 percent.

Alma Schrader

Alma Schrader saw declines in English language arts and math. Third-graders scored 43.6 percent in English language arts, down from 61.6 percent last year, and fourth-graders scored 49.4 percent, plummeting from last year's 70.4 percent.

Third-graders in the school scored 47.1 percent in math and fourth-graders 42.7 percent. Last year, third-graders scored 58.6 percent in math, and fourth-graders 50 percent.

Central Junior High

Central Junior High School's algebra I scores rose from 76.4 percent in 2013 to 96.4 percent this year.

Tenth-grade geometry scores at Central High School jumped to 64.5 percent this year, compared to 48 percent in 2013.

American history scores this year rose to 47.1 percent, from 33 percent in 2013. Government scores were 44.1 percent in 2013, and rose to 52.1 percent this year.

Statewide

Math scores in the proficient/advanced range declined statewide, especially in fourth grade, where scores dropped from 50.8 percent in 2013 to 42.9 percent in 2014.

Third-graders scored 50.7 percent, dropping 0.7 percent from 51.4 percent in 2013.

Fifth-grade math scores dropped to 52.8 percent in 2014, from 54.5 percent in 2013.

Scores for sixth-graders dropped slightly from 56.8 percent in 2013 to 56.2 percent in 2014.

End-of-course exam scores in algebra II and geometry surged. Algebra II rose from 54.1 percent in 2013 to 63.6 percent in 2014. Geometry scores rose to 65.9 percent in 2014, from 60.5 percent in 2013.

Algebra I scores for 2014 were 54.9 percent, down from 57 percent in 2013.

In communication arts, the majority of grades showed falling scores, except for an increase in seventh grade.

Third-grade scores were 42.3 percent in 2014, down from 48.5 percent in 2013.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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