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| Steven Adamowski |
Connecticut’s two student achievement annual assessments showed a mix of gains and retreats in 2013, according to results released by the State Department of Education.
The Connecticut Academic Performance Test, (grade 10 test), state wide, showed improvements in math, science and reading and a decline in writing scores, while students scored lower in all elements of the Connecticut Mastery Test. (grades 3 through 8)
Windham's Connecticut Mastery Test and Connecticut Academic Performance Test scores showed an overall decline. The CMT (3rd through 8th grade) results fell in line with the overall state trend. However, Windham"s CAPT (10th grade tests) results declined dramatically.
Far fewer Windham High students (10th grade) reached goal level scores then in the previous year. While the statewide CAPT percentage of students receiving goal-range scores increased in math, science and reading, and fell by only a point for writing, students at Windham High experienced unheard of decreases.
Windham High percentage of goal-achieving students in the writing fell from 32.9 percent in 2012 to 16.5 percent in 2013. Math test figures fell by 7.1 percent, while science decreased by 6.9 points and reading by 5.8 points. These percentage losses fell from already meager test scores compared to state averages.
More disturbing, The CAPT scores may be broken down into subgroups of students which shows that Windham High's Latino/ Hispanic subgroup basically maintained its dismal scores from 2012 to 2013. In this subgroup, 3.8 percent of students reached goal- range scores for math, 7.1 percent for science, 1.3 percent for reading and 6.7 percent for writing.
However, the white subgroup, student performance fell significantly from 2012 to 2013. Whereas 76.6 percent of 2012 tenth grade test- takers reached goal-range scores for writing in 2012, only 40.6 percent did so in 2013. Tenth grade math test figures fell by 7.1 percentage points, while those for science fell by 6.9 points and reading by 5.8 points.
Meanwhile, this year is the first Superintendent Ana Ortiz’s evaluation will be based largely on these test scores and the evaluation process will be carried out by the present board of education with input of the special master.
SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
- We’re concerned about much more than test scores, but these latest numbers provide an urgent opportunity to ask some tough questions,” said Randall Prose, teacher and president of the Windham Federation of Teachers. “We’re about to start the third school year of major reform. The time is now to come together and demand answers.” Prose said he hopes the test results of the CAPT will bring the community together, not create an atmosphere of finger-pointing.
- Superintendent Anna Ortiz said significant changes in programs and curricula in the past school year will help the district make strong gains next year.
- Kathleen Koljian, an Advanced Placement English teacher at Windham High School, said too many changes have been implemented at the high school without staff or parent input. She said the creation of two academies at the high school was done before well-developed curricula were in place. Changes in the English language learner program have also negatively impacted the school, she said.
- Deputy School Superintendent AnthonyGasper reminded that each year, a different set of 10th-grade students takes the test, so one must look at each set of numbers as a reflection of different individuals. Gasper cautioned that CMT scores are of limited usefulness to a district because they do not allow for easy tracking of how a specific set of students perform academically as they travel from year to year.
- According to Windham Board of Education Chairman Murphy Sewall, “It’s going to take a while for the change to have an effect.”
- State-appointed Special Master Steven Adamowski, who has been charged with improving Windham public schools’ performance, said, based on the timing of school interventions, he had not expected to see test score improvement until next year’s testing of 10th grade students. However, he said, “I’m not sure how much of this is a residual from prior school experience, but the continued decline is very disturbing and cause for concern.”
And what's the Skinny?
Exactly two years ago Dr. Stevev Adamowski swept into Windham with a mandate to reconstitute Windham's failing school district. Earlier during the summer of 2011 The State had taken over the authority of the local board of education. State Legislation was passed creating the office of special master specifically giving Dr Adamowski total authority to reform Windham Schools.
The process has been fascinating; watching the painfully slow progress of government, Adamowski's whirlwind reform process's has been a breath of fresh air. Given the ultimate authority, Adamowski has been able to make decisions while tying his shoes in the morning and implementing them before lunch. Conversely if a plan isn't up to expectations he can address changes quickly.
The Master has been described as intimidating, authoritative and arrogant. He has also been described, by some of the same people as , as a nice guy and brilliant with a penchant for statistics .
He hasn't made a lot of friends in Windham but his purpose is not win a popularity contest. nor be crowned cupid. He came to reverse a decaying school district, a district that has been crumbling for two decades. He came to give our students a chance to contribute to society, not to live off it.
He arrived after serving as superintendent and turning around Hartford's schools. He came with a box of tools one of which was the tool of complete authority. He has the last word and only word educating Windham's children, all responsibility rest on his shoulders and his shoulders alone. The Master answers only to the state commissioner of education and the governor.
Windham's test results over the past decades have not been impressive. This gradual trend downwards has culminated in some of the poorest test scores in the state.
This years results proved disappointing through most of the lower grades and disastrous
at the high school. (10th grade CAP Test)
This year's test score calamity was not expected. The special master, a supposed turn around specialist with a tool box of little miracles, more funding, more help to district teachers and their students has failed miserably What went wrong? Were the planets not aligned on test day?
Clearly the blame lays with Master Adamowski. Via a legislative act he was given the last word, the only word, to turn around Windham's school district and after two years he has failed. While the reasons for the failure will take months or more to sort out there are indications of went wrong:
The process has been fascinating; watching the painfully slow progress of government, Adamowski's whirlwind reform process's has been a breath of fresh air. Given the ultimate authority, Adamowski has been able to make decisions while tying his shoes in the morning and implementing them before lunch. Conversely if a plan isn't up to expectations he can address changes quickly.
The Master has been described as intimidating, authoritative and arrogant. He has also been described, by some of the same people as , as a nice guy and brilliant with a penchant for statistics .
He hasn't made a lot of friends in Windham but his purpose is not win a popularity contest. nor be crowned cupid. He came to reverse a decaying school district, a district that has been crumbling for two decades. He came to give our students a chance to contribute to society, not to live off it.
He arrived after serving as superintendent and turning around Hartford's schools. He came with a box of tools one of which was the tool of complete authority. He has the last word and only word educating Windham's children, all responsibility rest on his shoulders and his shoulders alone. The Master answers only to the state commissioner of education and the governor.
Windham's test results over the past decades have not been impressive. This gradual trend downwards has culminated in some of the poorest test scores in the state.
This years results proved disappointing through most of the lower grades and disastrous
at the high school. (10th grade CAP Test)
This year's test score calamity was not expected. The special master, a supposed turn around specialist with a tool box of little miracles, more funding, more help to district teachers and their students has failed miserably What went wrong? Were the planets not aligned on test day?
Clearly the blame lays with Master Adamowski. Via a legislative act he was given the last word, the only word, to turn around Windham's school district and after two years he has failed. While the reasons for the failure will take months or more to sort out there are indications of went wrong:
- Those closest to the schools say that in his haste to improve the drop out and graduation rates Adamowski has moved to fast and has heaped to many new programs onto the district.
- A lack of communications between Adamowski ,facility, staff, parents and the board of educations and town hall
- Faculty and staff moral problem. The district continues to experience, a hemorrhage of experienced staff. The stress of not knowing what's next weighs heavily on dedicated district educators.
- There is no joy of learning, instead Windham's children suffer endlessly under a reign of testing pain and a stressful school environment that negatively affects district's students.
- An underlying current of faculty, staff and stakeholders, to see Dr Adomanski fail.
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