Addressing the Booneville School Board last night Booneville Elementary School fourth grade teachers highlighted impressive four month growths among their students.
Using Star assessment program at the beginning and now near the middle of the year as reference points for analysis, fourth grade teachers have seen their students collectively show an average of seven months of growth in literacy and one year and one month of growth in math.
The literacy tests revealed beginning at an average of third grade, fourth month but they are now at a fourth grade, first month level.
In math, students also began at the third grade, fourth month level and are now at the fourth grade, seventh month level, which is wll ahead of the actual calendar.
As with any data analysis there are outliers that were also noted. For example, a couple of students reading in a freshman level and a student exhibiting over two years growth in just four months.
As to how they are making it happen the teacher team stated they are utilizing quality and purposeful tier I instruction; interventions are data driven; extensions are incorporated for those needing more; students are taking ownership of their own learning; and celebration of all victories, regardless of size.
Students in the home rooms of Erin Farmer and Madison Hurst grew nine and eight months in literacy while students in all four home rooms – Charlie Hopper and Shadea Thomas are the other teachers – grew at least nine months in math skills over the four months between the tests.