Hartford, Connecticut – Today, August 18, 2016, the Connecticut State Department of Education released preliminary results for the 2016 Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC), which has now been administered twice in Connecticut. The results show improvements in both English Language Arts and Math across the state—with the percentage of students who meet expectations in both subjects improving by over three percentage points. In response, Jeffrey Villar, Executive Director of the Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER) made the following statement:
“It is very encouraging to learn that the second administration of the SBAC has revealed improved academic outcomes for students in both English and Math. Based on these measurable results, we—as a state—must continue our commitment to implementing rigorous standards for both teachers and students. If we want to improve upon these positive trends, Connecticut public school districts must remain focused on high-quality learning experiences for their students and meaningful professional development opportunities for their educators.
“Although today’s results are generally positive, our analysis still suggests that we have much work to do in narrowing gaps in achievement: even though the state saw improvement across the board, the pace of improvement has been faster for White students than students of color. This should remind us all of the need to identify and scale practices that work for our highest-need student groups.
“Notably, almost half of the state’s lowest-performing districts have improved at even faster rates than the state. These “Alliance Districts” are part of a program that has provided increased state-level oversight and significant additional funding. While today’s results demonstrate the promise of that effort, we now need to unpack which actions are making a difference within these high-need districts. CCER is currently undertaking a research study of the Alliance District program since its inception in 2012. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures, we hope to identify impactful initiatives and make recommendations for further refining the state’s intervention model.
“Overall, we are certainly heartened by these preliminary data. Now, we must demand year-over-year improvement if we are to close Connecticut’s worst-in-the-nation achievement gap. Our students deserve nothing less.”
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About the Connecticut Council for Education Reform
The Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER)–a statewide, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) not- for-profit organization–works to close the achievement gap and raise academic outcomes for all students in Connecticut. The achievement gap is the disparity in academic achievement between children from low-income families and children of color, and their peers. We advocate for state policies and local practices that research shows have the best chance of raising achievement for high-need student populations.
For more information on CCER, go to www.ctedreform.org
