New Haven public-school students continue to lag behind the state in science, but some brights spots have appeared on the horizon.
That — and a plan for catching up — were the thrust of a presentation at Monday night’s Board of Ed meeting by Richard Therrien, the school system’s K‑12 science supervisor.
Therrien (pictured) committed himself to raising CMT scores eight to ten points a year across all grades.
Click here to view his PowerPoint presentation.
Last year, the first in which CMTs (Connecticut Mastery Tests) in science were administered, New Haven fifth-graders scored 53.8 percent at proficiency and only 21.3 percent at goal. That was far below the state average scores of 81.1 at proficiency and 55.2 at goal.
“Proficiency” and “At Goal” are respectively the third and fourth levels of attainment in the CMT grading scheme, bounded by “Below Basic,” “Basic,” and “Advanced.”
In the 2008 tests, there were similar deficiencies in eighth-grade CMT scores: New Haven’s young scientists tallied 45.4 at proficiency and 25.2 on goal, as opposed to 75.2 and 58.9 for the state scores.
“Certainly,” Therrien said, “there is a lot of work to do.”
He was at pains to point out that New Haven is a large system, with 12 high schools and 38 K‑8 schools. Some schools, notably Jepson, Mauro, Daniels, and Edgewood, reported scores much higher than the district averages. More high-school students than ever are taking advanced science and math courses.
Board members, such as M. Ann Levett, and Michael Nast, askedif New Haven’s many English Language Learners and special ed kids are required to take the tests. Did their participation contribute to the scores?
Therrien’s answer: indeed, new arrivals take the test. Even if their math and science knowledge is good, their academic vocabulary may be insufficient to understand the terms in English. “Some of the kids,” Therrien said, “are allowed to use a dictionary. But, yes, they take the test.”
He also told board members that compared to other cities in the state, New Haven’s CMT scores were leading the way. This was especially the case in the scoring related to science inquiry — that is, experimentation.
Likewise, on the CAPTs )Connecticut Academic Performance Tests) in science for ninth and tenth-graders, New Haven’s scores, while marginally better than the other major cities in the state, were nevertheless low. They have remained essentially unchanged for the last ten years.
What Is To Be Done
In the upper grades, Therrien said, all high school kids are now take three years of science, with chemistry required; the data showed a particular weakness in chemistry.
The system’s approach, he said, is also becoming increasingly inquiry focused. That means that seeking to excite kids about science at the earliest grades. So the approach, he said, is for students to look into the microscope one week and get fascinated, and then in the next week worry about learning terminology for cell parts.
“We’re going to dispel the notion that science is hard,” he said. “To the contrary, it’s a subject that appeals to all the senses.”
The chief challenge: recruiting, training, and re-training top flight certified teachers. “That’s really tough to do,” he said, “with five separate certifications in the various sciences at different levels.”
Currently Therrien has 142 science teachers, all qualified in their fields, a full complement for the first time in years. “But it’s a challenge to retain,” he said. There is also a particular need, he added, for coaching and training of teachers, especially to reach early adolescent, special ed, and the English Language Learners.
For inquiry-based teaching to become the norm in the system, some teachers will need to be brought along to change instructional styles, he said. “In inquiry-based learning of science, the teachers don’t have to know all the answers. They need to help the kids ask the right questions.”
For this to happen, he said, there needs to be more intensive professional development.
On the plus side are the extensive science fairs ] that promote science inquiry. Another arrow in Therrien’s quiver is the rich and continuing work with community partners, notably Yale and the other universities that offer dozens of science enrichment programs for the system’s students.
Yes, there is a lot of work to be done. Scores on the recently taken CMTs, including science, will not be available until July.
New Science and Engineering Magnet Coming to Town
In a related development at the board meeting, approval was given to the move of the evolving Engineering and Science Magnet School from its present rented quarters in West Haven to the spaces now occupied by Hooker Middle School at St. Stanilaus Roman Catholic Church on Eld Street. (The Hooker kids will be relocating to their new Whitney Avenue building).
Therrien said the current labs at Hooker would be just fine for the young school, which, when it moves in next September, will have only a sixth grade and seventh grade.
Make the tests easier!
PHYSICS
1) If you disconnect your video game from the wall outlet, it will
a) explode
b) shut off
c) not be connected to the internet
d) maybe one of the above
ASTRONOMY
47) The earth orbits the sun every 365
a) days
b) weekends
c) Avogadro's Number
d) possibly one of the above
BIOLOGY
362) Our bodies use fat to
a) insulate and hibernate
b) insulate and refrigerate
c) insulate and pasteurize
d) maybe not one of the above