Moses Lake makes 'sustainable gains' in test scores

MOSES LAKE - Like most districts across the state, administrators found promising data and not-so-promising data in achievement test scores.

While the district didn't make huge gains, it made sustainable gains, said district Superintendent Michelle Price.

"We're really, really pleased that our elementary science scores are at an all-time high," Price said. Math and science scores were up for most grades, Price said, and in her opinion that's a reflection of the emphasis the district has put on those subjects.

But reading and writing scores were "pretty status quo," Price said, and writing scores didn't improve across the board. District officials revised the language arts curriculum for primary grades last year, and a new curriculum for all other grades will be instituted this year, she said. District officials also are working on additional teacher training, he said.

The achievement test system has been revised and changed since it was instituted, and state officials have announced more changes, Price said. That means test data can be difficult to compare from year to year, she said.

State education officials are encouraging schools to take the test online, and the Moses Lake fifth grade participated in a pilot project for the online test. Price said that may have impacted fifth grade scores.

Like most schools statewide, Moses Lake sophomores did better than seventh or eighth graders. Students must pass the high school test to graduate. Price said the district trend has been that kids find a way to be successful on the tests when they get to high school.

MOSES LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Fourth grade: Reading - 68.2, Math - 51.2, Writing - 57.9

Seventh grade: Reading - 67.9, Math - 53.7, Writing - 81.5

Sophomore: Reading - 70.7, Writing - 73.4, Math - 67.4 year 1, 71.3 year 2

Graduation rate: 69.1 in four years, 71.3 in five years