The PARCC exam is a “different level of challenge,” said Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos on December 3, with a focus on cognitive complexity and a higher demand in thinking when compared to the MCAS. “That’s really a big difference from what we’ve had in the past.”
So, naturally, Principal Derek Medeiros as well as members of the Rochester School Committee were pleased to see that the exam results showed RMS students faring quite well compared to other similar schools, including Sippican School.
School-wide data shows students inching up from 68 percent to 70 percent in levels one and two – meets or exceeds expectations – and down from 7 percent to only 1 percent in the not exceeding expectations level. Last year in Grade 3 ELA of the MCAS, 0 percent of students scored in the advanced proficiency level. This year, with the PARCC, 8 percent of students made the grade.
Medeiros said a combination of factors aligned to challenge the students during this first piloting of the PARCC exam, especially given that the test was administered online on personal devices. Frangos said a math symbol key made for lots of dragging and dropping of text and math symbols, requiring students to be nimble in their personal device skills. The test was also timed.
“For third graders, that could’ve been a little difficult,” Medeiros said.
Committee members were frustrated to hear that the company that devised the PARCC test would not be releasing the questions on the test that students answered incorrectly – valuable information that would show schools the weak points in their curriculum.
“It doesn’t provide us with that beautiful inside look into the creature that we really need,” said Frangos. “That’s very disheartening.”
Massachusetts schools will continue to take the PARCC exam until 2017 when the state will switch to a “next generation” exam that some describe as a hybrid between the MCAS and the PARCC. Superintendent Doug White said consistent exposure to the technology is a key factor in students’ success, especially in the areas of keyboarding, highlighting text, and pasting.
“I think we can get better at it as we continue to expose our children to explore that tool, not just take a test,” said White.
Parents should expect the results of their child’s PARCC exam in the mail within the next two weeks, said White.
The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for January 7 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
By Jean Perry