Hamilton Southeastern Schools student test scores show improvement over the previous year in almost all categories and multiple grade levels.
Deputy Superintendent Matt Kegley gave a detailed and data-heavy presentation during the HSE Board of Trustees’ Aug. 28 meeting about the recently received spring 2024 standardized test results. He had announced at the previous board meeting that state IREAD reading comprehension scores for district third-graders showed improvement and promised at that time to return with more details.
Kegley’s Aug. 28 presentation delivered those details. It included state ILEARN test scores for third through eighth grades, which also had generally increased; and SAT and Advanced Placement test results for high school students.
“In ILEARN, looking at (English Language Arts) and math combined, we were up 2.1 points over the previous year and 9 points in the last four test administrations,” Kegley said. “Five out of six tested grade levels, plus the district overall, increased pass rates in language arts and in math and 11 of our 12 demographic areas increased in both ELA and math as well. Shifting to the high school level — we remain third among some comparison school districts in the SAT results for combined reading, writing and math.”
Kegley added that more district high school students passed AP tests — which can qualify for college credit — than in previous years.
Scores were broken down by demographics, which include race, ethnicity, special education, English language learners and whether a student qualifies for free or reduced meals. All the demographics showed improvement in the ILEARN English Language Arts and math except one. Students identified as Hispanic showed a slight decrease compared to the previous year.
While district SAT scores were strong compared to similar districts, the results were down from the previous year, particularly in math. However, Kegley noted, all the comparable districts showed a decrease in SAT math scores.
‘I don’t know why. I’m sure SAT (and maybe the) college board might be investigating, because this would indicate maybe something with the test and not necessarily the kids, when all of these districts go down,” he said.
Kegley said test results will be used when schools update their improvement plans to highlight any areas that need growth or improvement. The district also will continue to focus on achievement gaps that the test results revealed.
In other matters, the board held a public hearing on proposed $6.7 million in general obligation bonds that would pay off bus leases that have been paid through the district’s operations fund. The bonds would not increase the district’s tax rate, according to material provided by the district.
No member of the public spoke about the proposed bonds. The proposal will come back to the board during its next meeting, set for 6 p.m. Sept. 11 at 13485 Cumberland Rd. Meetings are livestreamed on the board’s website, hseschools.org/board/board-of-school-trustees.
