Test Scores — CTBS and CFAS

What is reported in the local newspaper every year is the test scores for the various schools – grades 4, 8 and 11. But there is more to test scores than just the scores, themselves. Figuring very prominently in how accurate the test scores are, is the number of tests (% Tested) included in aggregating the score. In a class of 120 students, withholding 10% of the tests from being included in the aggregate score, can have the converse effect of significantly raising the score. Tests withheld are not the tests of high achievers, but rather, those of low achievers. While the effect of this has a tendency to make parents believe that their school is doing wonderfully, such could, in actuality, not be the case at all. As well as looking at the scores, parents also need to pay close attention to the percent of tests being included in those scores. The lower the percentage of tests included in the aggregate score, the less the score shown represents a true picture of the overall ability of the children being tested.

CTBS = Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills

CFAS = Curriculum Frameworks Assessment Survey

Note: Due to the state changing the testing instruments being used, changing the grades tested, and moving the tests from the Fall to the Spring, there are no CTBS or CFAS scores for the Fall of 1998.

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4th Grade CTBS Scores; 1992-1997

	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
Reading	56	51	52	49	56	56
% Tested	96	98	95	97	96	88
Language	60	58	62	60	60	63
% Tested	94	98	94	98	98	88
Math	56	55	57	64	64	56
% Tested	94	98	95	98	98	88
Battery	58	55	58	58	61	60
% Tested	93	98	93	97	96	88
Spelling	46	40	36	44	45	45
% Tested	95	98	96	98	98	88
Study Skills	62	68	65	64	67	*
% Tested	95	97	95	99	98
Science	61	58	58	58	68	*
% Tested	95	98	96	99	98
Social Studies	56	62	61	59	65	*
% Tested	95	98	96	99	98

Source: Washington State District Level Summaries; 1992-1997

*Optional; Did Not Participate

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8th Grade CTBS Scores; 1992-1997

	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
Reading	58	57	58	60	61	52
% Tested	93	94	95	95	94	92
Language	58	58	55	59	64	59
% Tested	93	94	95	95	94	92
Math	49	53	46	59	61	60
% Tested	95	93	95	95	94	92
Battery	55	57	52	60	62	57
% Tested	92	93	95	95	94	92
Spelling	48	46	46	49	47	53
% Tested	94	94	95	95	94	92
Study Skills	58	53	48	55	61	60
% Tested	94	94	95	95	94	92
Science	62	60	63	61	66	67
% Tested	95	93	95	95	94	92
Social Studies	60	59	57	59	64	65
% Tested	95	93	95	95	94	92

Source: Washington State District-Level Summaries; 1992-1997

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11th Grade CFAS Scores; 1992-1997

	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
English/Lang. Arts	39	62	48	47	57	58
% Tested	88	80	82	80	87	93
History/Soc. Studies	34	64	57	52	55	58
% Tested	88	80	82	81	87	93
Math	39	54	56	52	66	68
% Tested	87	81	82	76	87	93
Science	37	58	57	48	55	62
% Tested	85	80	82	76	87	93

Source: Washington State District-Level Summaries; 1992-1997

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