August 16, 2010

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Dear Parents,

I hope everyone has been enjoying a healthy and happy summer.  Many District staff have been working hard throughout the summer months to get both the buildings and new curriculum materials ready for the start of your child’s new school year.

I am writing to inform you about some updated information regarding the New York State ELA and Math Testing program.  Because both tests were moved to the end of the school year, and due to some delayed scoring by the state, parent reports for individual students have not been released yet.  You should be receiving those reports sometime in the early fall.

Valley Stream 30 received District and building reports in mid-July.  As you may have read in the newspapers, the state made some major changes in the scoring of the assessments this year, after the students had already taken the tests.  Without advance notice, New York State significantly changed the standards for grade level expectations by raising the number of questions students needed correct in order to reach proficiency or “pass.”  As a result, throughout almost all school districts in New York State, without exception, scores were much lower this year than if they had been calculated according to the original scoring guide.  For example, with student performance now averaging somewhere above the 70th percentile with the new testing standard,  calculated according to last year’s scoring standards, performance overall in Valley Stream 30 this year would actually have increased from 91% to 93% passing.

Now that the State has released the new expectations, Valley Stream 30 teachers and administrators are working this summer to adjust curriculum maps and instructional strategies to support success on the new standards now released from New York State.

This year, the state is not requiring that academic services be provided to students who received a 2 (falling below proficiency) if they would have passed according to the old testing standard.  In Valley Stream 30, however, we will be providing additional academic support to those students this year, even though it is not required.  Now that we know that the state has changed expectations, we want to provide every student with a timely opportunity to reach the new bar.  We will be offering some additional academic programs both during and after the school day this year.  If your child is invited to participate, I strongly urge you to make every effort to have him or her take advantage of the opportunity being provided.  If your child qualifies, you will be receiving information about these programs early in the school year.

Though it is unfortunate that school districts in New York State did not have advance notice requiring the new standards and expectations for students before the children actually took the tests, nevertheless, the new curriculum expectations New York State is setting for our students are worthy ones.  It is always good to aim higher and to continually build on past accomplishments.

I wish you a wonderful end to the summer and look forward to seeing you and your children this September.  As always, feel free to give me a call (285-9881, ext 222) or email ekanas@vs30.org with any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Sincerely,

Elaine Kanas, Ed.D.