Littleton Public Schools students continue to perform well on CMAS tests;
outperforming the state average and all PARCC states in every assessment and by double digits in 18 of 19 grades and content areas tested

On August 17, 2017, the Colorado Department of Education released statewide, district and school level results of the 2017 Math, English language arts, and science Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) tests. Colorado 3rd through 11th graders took these tests last spring. Performance is broken into five levels and indicate what a typical student at each level should know based on their command of grade-level content standards:

• Level 5:  Exceeded expectations
• Level 4:  Met expectations
• Level 3:  Approached expectations
• Level 2:  Partially met expectations
• Level 1:  Did not yet meet expectations

Students scoring in levels 4 and 5 are considered on track for “college and career readiness.”  Students scoring in levels 1, 2 and 3 “may need additional support to be on track for college and career readiness.”

English Language Arts

Littleton Public Schools students performed well on the English language arts assessment. LPS student scores outpaced the state average “met or exceeded expectations” by double digits in all grade levels tested. When looking at scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:

• Scores improved in 4 of 7 grades tested;
• 3rd grade scores increased  in 11 of 15 schools and increased by double digits in 7 schools;
• 4th grade scores increased in 5 schools, 2 increased by double digits;
• 5th grade scores increased in 11 schools, 4 increased by double digits;
• 6th grade scores increased in 3 schools, 2 by double digits;
• 7th grade scores increased in 5 schools, 4 by double digits;
• 8th grade scores increased in 2 schools, 1 by double digits;
• 9th grade scores increased in 1 school;
• Percentage of students not meeting expectations went down in 5 of 7 grades tested; and
• Percentage of students exceeding expectations went up in 5 of 7 grades tested.

Cohort scores follow a group of students from one year to the next.  When looking at cohort  scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:

• 3rd to 4th grade cohort scores increased by 9 percentage points at the district level and in 13 of 15 schools;
• 4th to 5th grade cohort scores increased by 2 percentage points at the district level and in 9 of 15 schools;
• 6th to 7th grade cohort scores increased by 11 percentage points at the district level and in 6 of 6 schools;
• 7th to 8th grade cohort scores maintained.

Mathematics
Littleton Public Schools students performed well on the mathematics assessment. LPS student scores outpaced the state average “met or exceeded expectations” by double digits in 8 of 9 grade levels tested. When looking at scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:

• 3rd grade scores increased in 7 schools, 4 by double digits. Scores are double digits above Colorado and all states that took Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams;
• 4th grade scores increased in 7 schools,  2 by double digits. Scores are double digits above Colorado and all states that took PARCC exams;
• 5th grade scores increased in 7 schools, 1  by double digits. Scores are double digits above Colorado and all states that took PARCC exams;
• 6th grade scores increased in 3 schools, Scores are double digits above Colorado and all states that took PARCC exams;
• 7th grade scores increased in 4 schools, 1 by double digits. Scores are double digits above Colorado and all states that took PARCC exams;
• 8th grade scores increased 2 schools, 1 by double digits. Scores are double digits above Colorado and all states that took PARCC exams;
• Percentage of students not meeting expectations went down in 4 of 7 grades tested.
• Percentage of students exceeding expectations went up in 4 of 7 grades tested.
• Algebra 1 scores increased in 4 of 9 schools tested; 1 by double digits. Scores are double digits above Colorado and all states that took PARCC exams;
• Algebra 2 scores increased in 1 of 3 schools tested;
• 4th to 5th cohort increased in 8 of 15 schools.

Science

Littleton Public Schools students performed well on the science assessment. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 took the science assessment. LPS student scores outpaced the state average “met or exceeded expectations” by double digits in all three grade levels tested. When looking at scores that “met or exceeded expectations”:

• 5th grade scores increased in 8 of 15 schools tested; 1 by double digits;
• 8th grade scores increased in 3 of 6 schools tested; 1 by double digits;
• 11th grade scores increased in 2 of 3 schools tested; 1 by double digits.

Growth

Littleton Public Schools students show strong growth in both math and English language arts.

A student’s growth percentile (ranging from 1 to 99) indicates how that student’s performance changed over time, relative to students with similar score histories on the state assessments.

The state median growth percentile for any grade overall in both mathematics and English language arts is about 50. LPS students demonstrated higher growth than did the state, with the exception of high school students where many parents continue to opt their students out of testing.

• Median growth for LPS elementary and middle school students in mathematics is at the 60th percentile.   
• Median growth for LPS high school students in mathematics is also at the 60th  percentile.
• Median growth for LPS middle school students in English language arts is at the 55th percentile.
• Median growth for LPS elementary  students in English language arts is at the 58th percentile.
• Median growth for LPS high school students in English language arts is at the 48th percentile.

“Both math and language arts growth results indicate that LPS students are learning the expectations outlined in the Colorado Academic Standards,” said LPS Deputy Superintendent Connie Bouwman.  “These standards are aligned to college and career readiness expectations.”

“This confirms what we already know about our students --individually, in subgroups and overall. We know when students struggle and we know when they excel,” said LPS Superintendent Brian Ewert.  “Furthermore, within the framework of Professional Learning Communities, teachers have the opportunity to share their best thinking, improve their teaching, and to address the individual needs of every student.  This collaboration makes it possible for teachers to truly help students improve where they need it most.”

SAT

The Colorado Department of Education also released August 17 statewide, district- and school- level results of the spring 2017 SAT.  All Colorado 11th graders took the SAT in the spring of 2017. (Beginning in the spring of 2016, the SAT replaces 11th grade English language arts and mathematics CMAS tests.)

LPS 11th graders performed well on the SAT:

• 59% of LPS 11th graders met both the reading/writing and mathematics benchmarks (which measure college readiness) compared to 38% statewide and 36% nationally.
• 79% of LPS 11th graders met the reading/writing benchmark compared to 61% statewide and 61% nationally.
• 61% of LPS 11th graders met the mathematics benchmark compared to 41% statewide and 38% nationally.

PSAT 10

The Colorado Department of Education also released August 17 statewide, district and school level results of the spring 2017 PSAT 10. All Colorado 10th graders took the PSAT 10 in the spring of 2017.  (Beginning in the spring of 2016, the PSAT 10 replaces 10th CMAS tests in English language arts and mathematics.) It uses a similar test blueprint as the SAT and serves as an introduction to the test because the questions and format are similar.

LPS 10th graders performed well on the PSAT 10:

• 61% of LPS 10th graders met both the reading/writing and mathematics benchmarks (which measure college readiness) compared to 41% statewide and 38% nationally.
• 85% of LPS 10th graders met the reading/writing benchmark compared to 67% statewide and 64% nationally.
• 63% of LPS 10th graders met the mathematics benchmark compared to 43% statewide and 41% nationally.

Additional information about CMAS, SAT, and PSAT 10 can be found on the Colorado Department of Education’s website.