D.C. Public School students’ scores on the District’s standardized tests stayed mostly level this year, rising among older students in both math and reading, but dropping slightly for the second year in a row for elementary school students.
The tests, taken by 32,000 students in DCPS and charter schools, identify students’ knowledge as “advanced,” “proficient,” “basic” or “below basic.”
This year, 46.4 percent of secondary DCPS students were at least “proficient” in math, up 2.7 percentage points over 2010. In reading, 44.2% of secondary students showed proficiency, a 1 point increase.
Among elementary schools, 43 percent of DCPS students passed muster in reading, a 1.1 percentage point drop from 2010 and a roughly 6 point drop from a peak in 2009. In math, 42.3 percent of DCPS elementary students were proficient, a 0.8 point decrease.
Charter schools, which serve nearly 40 percent of the District’s public school students, showed higher gains over 2010, although DCPS made more progress on a five-year timeline.
The portion of elementary students in charter schools scoring a “proficient” or “advanced” in rose 1.7 points in reading, and 2.8 points in math. On the secondary level, scores grew 1.8 points in reading and 4.5 points in math.
