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Pound Ridge Students Score Higher On ELA/Math Exams Than State Average

BEDFORD, N.Y.-- Students in grades three to eight in the Bedford Central School District exceeded state levels in English language arts and math assessment tests, according to results released Wednesday by the state Education Department.

The state released the grades three to eight ELA and Math test results for the Bedford School District Wednesday.

The state released the grades three to eight ELA and Math test results for the Bedford School District Wednesday.

Photo Credit: File Photo

The Bedford Central Schol District, which serves Bedford, Bedford Hills and Pound Ridge, scored lower overall than last year's test, but local and state officials are reminding residents that the decline was expected with alterations to this year's tests. The state said the change in scores is largely the result of the shift in the assessments to measure the common core standards, which more accurately reflect students' progress toward college and career readiness. In the state, 31.1 percent of students met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard; 31 percent met or exceeded the math proficiency standard.

Dr. Jere Hochman, Superintendent of Bedford Central School District, didn't have a knee-jerk reaction when he saw that scores were down across the state. "No surprise given that we were well aware that scores would be much lower than in previous years," said Hochman. "This was a different test and did include some things that were not aligned with what we were teaching." New York state education commissioner John B. King Jr., stated in a press release issued on Wednesday that results across the state were down as expected and the, "change in scores – which will effectively create a new baseline of student learning – is largely the result of the shift in the assessments to measure the Common Core Standards."

Hochman is still trying to digest all the information and statistics from the tests. 

"All I have right now is a bunch of numbers," he said. "We"ll take a look how districts and schools did and how we did in each subject area. We'll take a look at every aspect of it to find out where we are and make sure we are aligned with the new state standards and find the gaps where we'll need to fill in."

Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch said the changes were necessary. 

"The world has changed, the economy has changed, and what our students need to know has changed," Tisch said. "These scores reflect a new baseline and a new beginning. We have just finished the first year of a dramatic shift in teaching and learning.

Here are the Bedford resuts:

Grade 3 ELA, 21.6 percent of students were at level 1 proficiency, 31.1 percent were at level 2, 44.1 percent were at level 3 and 3.3 percent were at level 4.

Grade 3 Math, 23.3 percent were at level 1, 36.4 percent were at level 2, 25.9 were at level 3 and 14.3 percent were at level 4.

Grade 4 ELA saw 14.5 percent of students at level 1, 37.3 percent at level 2, 29.9 percent at level 3 and 18.3 percent at level 4.

Grade 4 Math saw 14.6 percent at level 1, 33.2 percent at level 2, 32 percent at level 3 and 20 percent at level 4.

Grade 5 ELA had 19.5 percent at level 1, 35.1 percent at level 2, 33.2 percent at level 2, 12.2 percent at level 4.

Grade 5 Math had 21.5 percent at level 1, 29.7 percent at level 2, 28.2 percent at level 3, 20.6 percent at level 4.

Grade 6 ELA had 15.1 percent at level 1, 42 percent at level 2, 23 percent at level 3 and 19.9 percent at level 4.

Grade 6 Math had 14.2 percent at level 1, 42.2 percent at level 2, 22.9 percent at level 3 and 20.8 percent at level 4.

Grade 7 ELA had 20.2 percent at level 1, 38.2 percent at level 2, 33.9 at level 3 and 7.6 percent at level 4.

Grade 7 Math was 17.5 percent at level 1, 35.6 percent at level 2, 30.4 percent at level 3 and 16.6 percent at level 4.

Grade 8 ELA was 12.3 percent at level 1, 37.2 percent at level 2, 32 percent at level 3 and 18.5 percent at level 4.

Grade 8 Math was 12.5 percent at level 1, 40.4 percent at level 2, 27.4 percent at level 3 and 19.8 percent at level 4.

For the complete report go to the Education Department website here.

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