ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE
NARRATIVE REPORT ON GOAL PROGRESS

The goal of improving student performance in reading, writing, and the language arts was identified in 1999. Since then, our committee and the entire teaching staff have become more knowledgeable in many areas of assessment. While elementary staff have long provided daily AR time for student reading, secondary staff members are now familiar with the processes and benefits of the reading program and support the program in a variety of ways. Not only has the Accelerated Reader Program boosted student reading levels in language arts classes, it has benefited other core subject areas as well. In addition, our book circulation numbers in the learning center show students checking out books on a regular and frequent basis, which is reflected in the rise of scores in reading. Terra Nova composite scores are improving in both the elementary and secondary, and language arts scores are now on a par with other core subjects. Language arts curriculums in both the elementary and secondary have been examined, realigned to state standards, and coordinated between the elementary and secondary. CMS testing shows the majority of our students excelling on the mastery of the state standards. All elementary teachers and secondary English teachers have been trained in the Six-Traits Writing Process and implement this approach to writing in their classes. Our state writing assessments have overall been excellent. Finally, ACT composite scores have improved, in part, because the language arts scores have improved dramatically.