Academic Growth
Overall, the English and Math departments are doing an excellent job from a “value-added” perspective. Below are the HSPT, PSAT, and SAT trends for the classes of 2002 through 2006. The scores are the national percentiles for each test. The sub-score of the HSPT with the best correlation to PSAT and SAT Verbal is the Reading score, and the best correlation to the PSAT and SAT Math is the Quantitative score. Therefore, these were used.
ENGLISH
Mean Verbal scores of each class have improved over the course of the four years. In particular, the junior level of the English Dept has raised the verbal scores two percentile points from PSAT to SAT four out of five years. This is a significant gain. Despite the fact that the HSPT scores of the last two graduating classes indicate lower ability groups, the English department has brought them up to the level of previous classes by PSAT and SAT time.
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MATH
The junior level of the Math Dept. provided a two-percentile point boost consistently, with a major 7-point jump for the class of 2003. There is a significant drop from HSPT to PSAT for all classes, due to the differences in difficulty level between HSPT material, which is mostly arithmetic, and PSAT material, which is Algebraic. STS is investigating the impact of Algebra in the 8th grade, but has not adjusted its test curriculum yet.
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GAINS OF SUB-GROUPS
There are three sub-group populations we considered: the LD students, the Magis profile students, and the Must-Comes (those students required to come to summer school as a condition of admission). As can be seen in the numbers below, we do an excellent job with all three groups in English:
Verbal Gains from HSTP to SAT |
All |
Magis |
LD |
MC |
Class of 2003 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
Class of 2004 |
5 |
2 |
16 |
11 |
Class of 2005 |
9 |
6 |
17 |
16 |
Class of 2006 |
5 |
8 |
15 |
13 |
Class of 2007 |
6 |
8 |
13 |
13 |
Average |
5.9 |
4.8 |
13.4 |
11.2 |
The gains between junior and senior year are exceptional for the Magis kids.
Verbal Gains from PSAT to SAT |
All |
Magis |
LD |
MC |
Class of 2003 |
2 |
9 |
15 |
6 |
Class of 2004 |
3 |
14 |
4 |
5 |
Class of 2005 |
4 |
16 |
7 |
15 |
Class of 2006 |
0 |
10 |
14 |
5 |
Class of 2007 |
4 |
15 |
6 |
9 |
Average |
2.6 |
12.8 |
9.2 |
8 |
In Math we do very well between junior and senior year, especially for the Magis students.
Math Gains from PSATto SAT |
All |
Magis |
LD |
MC |
Class of 2003 |
1 |
11 |
9 |
4 |
Class of 2004 |
7 |
10 |
0 |
5 |
Class of 2005 |
3 |
17 |
5 |
13 |
Class of 2006 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
5 |
Class of 2007 |
4 |
12 |
5 |
4 |
Average |
3.4 |
11.6 |
5.8 |
6.2 |
As seen in other studies of this type, there is a fall off from HSTP to SAT do to the lower correlation between the tests. That being said, the Math dept. has significantly limited the drop for the LD students and has made a gain among the Must-Comes.
Math Gains Gains from HSTP to SAT |
All |
Magis |
LD |
MC |
Class of 2003 |
-5 |
-2 |
-2 |
-7 |
Class of 2004 |
-3 |
-13 |
7 |
1 |
Class of 2005 |
0 |
-15 |
5 |
13 |
Class of 2006 |
-4 |
-1 |
-3 |
0 |
Class of 2007 |
0 |
-12 |
-8 |
0 |
Average |
-2.5 |
-8.6 |
-0.2 |
1.4 |