Tulsa World: Tulsa End of Instruction Scores Up

Most of the algebra test improvement is attributed to a more appropriate test level.

Tulsa Public Schools saw a dramatic increase in students' Algebra I scores on state-mandated tests, officials said Tuesday.

Secondary school students across Oklahoma take end-of-instruction exams in Algebra I, English II, Biology I and U.S. History, but only scores from the Algebra I and English II tests are used to gauge overall student achievement under state and federal school accountability systems.

Statewide results are not expected until later this month. Officials from other Tulsa-area districts said they were expecting their end-of-instruction test results this week.

The number of Tulsa students demonstrating proficiency in Algebra I more than doubled, from 24 percent in 2006 to 59 percent in 2007. The district's proficiency rate in English II also improved, from 61 percent to 65 percent.

Sharolyn Sorrels, the school improvement administrator for TPS, said she expects to see similar increases in Algebra I scores across Oklahoma, because the state Education Department realigned the exam "to be closer to what we teach eighth- and ninth-graders."

"I do think we've made improvements in instruction, as well, but the main reason the Algebra I scores went up is because they made the test to be more aligned," Sorrels said.

"The old test was horrific; most of it was at a college level. The whole state is breathing a sigh of relief that they better aligned that test with the (state) benchmarks and standards."

Six of the nine TPS high schools had Algebra I proficiency rates in the single digits in 2006.

Those same schools posted proficiency rates ranging from 25 percent to 50 percent on the 2007 Algebra I end-of-instruction exam.

The number of Tulsa students who demonstrated proficiency on the U.S. History exam decreased slightly since last year, from 64 percent to 61 percent.

On the Biology I exam, 39 percent of students were proficient for the second year in a row.