Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2009 / Changes in testing strategy led to improved scores for Most Holy Trinity
Changes in testing strategy led to improved scores for Most Holy Trinity
by Kristin Lukowksi of The Michigan Catholic
Published August 21, 2009
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Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic
First-grade teacher John Lalich reviews spelling words late last year with Azottie McKinley. |
Detroit - Most Holy Trinity Grade School, in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood, could have taken a page out of the Boy Scout handbook when analyzing how to do better at its Iowa tests: "Be Prepared."
Learning test-taking skills, practicing on mock tests and aligning classroom instruction with what students will see on their tests are the three main strategies Holy Trinity principal Kathleen McBride and teachers have implemented over the last few years to improve its scores on the standardized test. And so far, it's worked: for 2008, Holy Trinity's third-grade scores were 11 points above the archdiocese's average, in the 87th percentile, while the fifth grade was in the 75th percentile, two points above the archdiocese average.
From 2007 to 2008, too, all subjects have improved considerably: fifth-graders improved in every subject, reading, math, language, social studies and science - by a whopping 59 points in social studies - and third grade improved in every subject except social studies, in which it dropped by one percentile.
"We made a commitment to making sure our kids were prepared for it," McBride said. "It really has paid off, big time."
Susan Leslie, associate superintendent and curriculum director for the Archdiocese of Detroit, said standardized test results are a tool for giving educators a chance to see how students are doing. "The Iowa test is a test of achievement, so having high scores in achievement is always good," she said.
Leslie pointed out that in some areas in which it was tested, Most Holy Trinity went from below average to one of the best in the archdiocese. She attributed much of that to the school working as a team and McBride's being active in professional development.
Most Holy Trinity has now qualified to receive money from the Skillman Foundation, which supports schools, among other things. "It really did make a difference," she said.
McBride said among the things teachers took on to help students practice was to practice penciling in answer bubbles - which, growing up in today's technological age, students may not ever have done before - and how to transfer a correct answer from a work page to an answer booklet. Using an answer sheet gets them familiar with the process, she said. "There's no other time they do it," she said.
Another strategy the school has enacted is to post a new vocabulary word in the hallway and lunchroom every week. McBride pointed out that many of Holy Trinity's students don't speak English at home, so school may be the only place they are learning new, challenging vocabulary.
Teachers also took another look at the math curriculum, comparing what they were teaching to what had been on past tests. The subjects didn't always align; telling time on an analog clock is in a math book but not on the Iowa test, for example.
"What we tried to do is line up our focus with concepts on the tests," McBride said.
Not only did students practice taking similar tests, but in doing so they also practiced skills such as sitting still and following directions.
Leslie agreed that students practicing also likely played a big factor in improving the school's test scores. "Filling in circles may seem elementary, but, for the lower grades, it's a three- and four-step process (and therefore) a high-level skill," she said.
Most Holy Trinity is the only Catholic school near downtown, and by adding seventh grade this year and probably eighth grade next year, "it could be the crown jewel of Detroit," she said. "We're very, very optimistic these test scores hold," she said.
It's difficult to compare tests scores of Catholic schools to public schools because public schools don't take the Iowa Test, but the Michigan Educational Assessment Program, MEAP. A Senate bill was introduced in January to allow public schools to use other tests.
Although "teaching to the test" can be seen as negative, perceived to be students learning no life skills but only what they will be tested on, McBride believes the benefit of preparing the students and giving them practice is greater. "We would be doing them a disservice if we didn't give them a fighting chance to do well on the tests," she said. "These kinds of skills are needed across the board."
Iowa test scores are important when it comes to applying for grants; and often, parents look at test scores before choosing a school.
"I think we all want the kids to succeed," she said. "It's all about preparing kids for the future and a successful high school career."
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