SOURCE: Lightspan, Inc.
Lightspan's eduTest.com Receives High Marks at U.S. Department of Education Town Hall Meeting
Principal Credits Online Assessment Program With Gains in Student Achievement
WASHINGTON, July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- At the recent U.S. Department of Education's National Town Hall Meeting in Washington D.C., Dr. Sylvia Spratley, principal of Tidewater Park Elementary School in Norfolk, Virginia, was invited as the featured guest speaker to share with the nation the secret of her school's incredible academic turnaround. The town hall meeting, sponsored by U.S. Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, was a forum for local and national educators to discuss the role accountability plays in the classroom and the importance of setting high standards for all students. Dr. Spratley's success with an astounding jump (more than 70%) in student achievement and test scores at Tidewater Elementary School was highlighted as a model for other educators working to meet the challenge of accountability in schools across the nation.
During Spratley's first year as principal of Tidewater Park Elementary, located in a high-poverty area with 88 percent of students receiving free or reduced lunch, a mere 5.56 percent of third graders and 23 percent of fifth graders received passing grades in Virginia's standardized tests. Two years later, 78 percent of third graders and 81 percent of fifth graders received passing grades. With the increased pressure on school performance and accountability, principals across the country were clamoring to discover Dr. Spratley's secrets for success.
In addition to the dedication of her staff, Dr. Spratley credits eduTest.com, a leading online assessment program, with the tremendous academic gains at her school. Dr. Spratley explains, ``We must have high expectations for students and help them rise to the standards through a targeted strategy. Bringing eduTest.com to our school was one of the best decisions I ever made. It empowers our teachers by providing them with immediate feedback on individual student progress, allowing them to quickly adjust instruction to meet each student's areas of strength or weakness. It reduces the administrative burden on teachers and lets them do what they do best -- teach.''
eduTest.com aligns to state standards and helps educators meet their accountability requirements. Importantly, while many standardized tests provide results in 6-8 weeks, eduTest provides ``real time'' results within nano-seconds -- allowing teachers to immediately utilize the information in their classrooms.
Dr. Spratley monitors the use of EduTest that is a daily requirement for all teachers in grades K-5. ``After we began using eduTest.com, our students' test scores took off like a rocket, but it wasn't a miracle,'' says Dr. Spratley. ``We increased our test scores through a lot of hard work and monitoring, but it was worth it. We're all very proud of our success.'' But teachers and administrators aren't the only ones at Tidewater Park who are excited about eduTest.com. ``Students walk down the hall and tell me what they scored on their eduTests that day,'' continues Dr. Spratley. ``They love doing well.'' Dr. Spratley expects even greater news from her school in the years to come. ``We now have the tools, staff and knowledge we need to drive achievement. We think this year is going to be our best year ever.''
The Department of Education town hall meeting was broadcast on WETA-TV in Washington, DC. |
