The quality of education a student receives has come under scrutiny as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. The New Mexico Public Education Department has stated they are aiming to re-engage students who have fallen off in their studies for any reason. In addition to providing an education for students, the state also has to make sure that education is sticking with their students.
A quality education was the focus of a presentation given to the Gallup-McKinley County Schools Board of Education during their Nov. 16 meeting. Ashley Ryan, director of curriculum and assessment for Gallup-McKinley County Schools spoke to the board about first quarter student assessment trend data.
Students were evaluated in two categories: English Language Arts and mathematics. The data from Q1 2019 was compared to the Q1 2020 data.
Ryan said in the first quarter of 2020, six district schools increased in ELA proficiency from last year, while 26 schools decreased in proficiency.
In mathematics, 20 schools increased in proficiency from Q1 2019 to Q1 2020 while 12 schools decreased in proficiency.
“What the data show us is the proficiency trends go up and down every year,” Ryan said. “These trends are in line with what we have seen in the past.”
She also noted more students received higher scores on the assessment than in previous years, which may indicate those students are receiving help at home with their assignments.
Ryan then spoke about the number of students who completed their assessment in either ELA or math from Q1 2019 to Q2 2020.
The percentage of students who completed the assessments from grades two through 11 decreased from 2019. On average, anywhere from 78 to 98 percent of students completed their assessment in 2019, while that number has dropped to between 63 and 77 percent in 2020. For math, the percentage in completed assessments dropped from 72 to 98 percent in 2019, down to 57 to 82 percent in 2020.
“This drop in completed assessments could signify internet issues for the students because these are online assessments,” Ryan said. Students are going to have to take the standardized summative assessments online. We always do these online to allow them space to practice.
Ryan did say this data is from one interim assessment, so these results are not a definitive view of the students’ proficiency.
Dist. 3 Board Member Priscilla Manuelito asked what is being done to help students in schools that saw a decrease in proficiency to rebound from that assessment.
“What we do with the downward trends is help those schools work to identify where students need specific help and support,” Ryan said. “Once the teachers and principals dig into the data, they work to help their students improve through techniques like intervention or small group support.”
There are numerous options to help students increase their proficiency, she added.
By Cody Begaye
Sun Correspondent
