{"id":687622,"date":"2021-10-04T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/?p=687622"},"modified":"2022-01-16T15:12:39","modified_gmt":"2022-01-16T21:12:39","slug":"student-learning-in-a-pandemic-test-results-show-heavy-toll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2021\/10\/04\/student-learning-in-a-pandemic-test-results-show-heavy-toll\/","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma Student Learning in a Pandemic: Test Results Show Heavy Toll"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Oklahoma students lost ground in nearly every grade and subject as they struggled to learn amid COVID-19 disruptions, newly released test score data shows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Results from state assessments taken by students in the spring show significant declines when compared to 2019, the last time students took state assessments. The 2020 exams were canceled at the onset of the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scores, released by the Oklahoma Department of Education on Thursday, offer a glimpse of the academic toll the coronavirus pandemic has had on students. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister called the results \u201cvery concerning.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the findings: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 In English language arts, 24.8% of students scored proficient or higher, down from 33.4% in 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 In math, 22.1% of students scored proficient or higher, down from 31.9% in 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 In science, 29.7% of students scored proficient or higher, down from 34.5% in 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Third grade showed the largest decline, with 14% fewer students proficient in both math and English compared to two years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tests measure students\u2019 knowledge of grade-level academic standards, which in Oklahoma were realigned to be nationally competitive in 2017. A score of \u201cproficient\u201d means the student is on-track to be ready for college or career by the time they graduate. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t

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Federal law requires schools to test students each year in English language arts and math in grades third through eighth and periodically in science, plus each subject once in high school. Oklahoma assesses science in fifth, eighth and 11th grades.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But fewer Oklahoma students tested in 2021 compared to previous years, and participation was inconsistent across districts, schools, and student groups \u2014 leading state officials to caution taking the data at face-value.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a normal year about 99% of Oklahoma students take the exams and federal requirements say at least 95% must test. This year, that federal requirement was waived. Oklahoma\u2019s average participation fell to 91% in science and 92% in math and English language arts. That was one of the highest rates of any U.S. state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, some districts posted much lower participation. Students were required to sit for the tests in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participation below 95% could compromise a test\u2019s representativeness of the student population, said Juan D\u2019Brot, senior associate at the Center for Assessment, an agency that assists 44 states with administering standardized tests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the missing students are mostly low performers, for instance, it could give school or district leaders a false sense of students\u2019 achievement unless they dig deeper into the data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u2019Brot said while it\u2019s difficult this year to make comparisons to 2019 and between schools and districts, the difficulties students faced last year are widespread. \u201cThe point is we\u2019re seeing the effects of kids and educators dealing with emotional, physical and psychological trauma as a function of the pandemic. That is an unequivocal absolute.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big shifts in enrollment have also been seen since 2019 that must be considered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the combination of factors that is making it so complicated to understand the impact of enrollment fluctuations coupled with participation rate drops and loss of instructional opportunities and contextual factors,\u201d D\u2019Brot said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state Education Department will release an interactive data tool next week to help school and district leaders, parents and community members visualize and make sense of the data. Scores for disadvantaged student groups will also be released next week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike in previous years, accountability isn\u2019t linked to student scores. The state Board of Education in December approved disentangling student assessments from school report cards due to the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though nearly all schools re-opened last year, classroom time was lost to quarantines and isolation and short-term closures. Students had inconsistent access to teachers, instructional content and internet to support distance learning.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n