ONE MORE ROCKWOOD TEACHER DONATION REQUEST: SCIENCE MAGAZINE

Over the holidays, we told you about teachers in Rockwood that have campaigns on a fundraising site called Donors Choose. The site allows donors to contribute to the cost of classroom items teachers are requesting. The teachers use the donations to buy the items.

SCIENCE SUBSCRIPTION
Today's post wraps up this 4-part series. In it, Donors Choose shows a science teacher at Wildwood Middle School still needs to raise $267.00 for a set of online class subscriptions to Science World Magazine.

Ms. Hagarty wrote in her request: "My intention is for students to be exposed (to) science vocabulary more frequently and to learn about content that is broader than what we cover in class."

According to Wildwood Middle's website, Ms. Hagarty teaches 8th grade science. Hagarty is one of many teachers trying to improve learning for students, which was negatively impacted, in part, by virtual learning during Covid.

HOW ARE THEY DOING? PROFICIENCY IN THE 60S
The state's data shows 64.9% of Wildwood Middle's 8th grade science students scored proficient or advanced on the most recent standardized MAP test in the spring of 2023. MAP stands for Missouri Assessment Program.

That 64.9% is an 11.5 point jump from the year before (2022) at Wildwood Middle, when just 53.4% scored proficient or advanced on the state's standardized 8th grade science test.

It is also a 2.1 point drop from 2017, when 67% scored proficient or advanced.

You can see the data here:

Source: Missouri's Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
The last four columns show below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced, in that order.
We added the last two columns for 2023 to get 64.9.

Note: The * in 2018 is because the state issued social studies tests instead of science tests, that year.

PUSHBACK

Also note: this site gets pushback from readers when we do posts on MAP score data. The readers say it's wrong to say scores went up or down. They point out a DESE disclaimer that says you can't compare scores from year to year, because of changes to the test and other factors.

It's true that the data should not be used to determine a cause for increases or decreases in performance.

However.

LET'S SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT
People in DESE's data department have told us every year that you CAN compare the proficiency percentages, despite the changes, and despite any disclaimers.

Here's what they told us last April: "...it is reasonable to compare how students are performing each year... because ...the data is still reflecting how the students are performing with the way the state tests them."

Here it is, word for word:

Email, April 2023

WILDWOOD MIDDLE BETTER THAN DISTRICT AVERAGE
According to the state's data, Wildwood Middle's proficiency percentage was 8 points higher than the proficiency percentage districtwide.

Across the district's 6 middle schools, just 56.9% of Rockwood's 8th grade science students scored proficient or advanced on the science portion of the most recent standardized MAP test last Spring.

Wildwood Middle's proficiency percentage was 64.9%.

You can see districtwide data for 8th grade science here.
(Scroll down to the chart, select science and select 8th grade.)

GENEROSITY = SUCCESS

As we reported in our previous Donors Choose post, after posting teacher campaigns, three of the teachers had their projects fully funded. In those other campaigns, teachers requested items such as furniture and supplies to better illustrate language arts concepts.

To donate or read more about Ms. Hagarty's request, click this link: Ms. Hagarty's request

If you'd like to contribute, you have until February 17th.