Superior Elementary improves test scores

“The elementary school made a huge jump. It has been lots of hard work, but the scores indicate what we are doing at the elementary level is working.”

Those were Jodi Fierstein’s summary remarks concerning AQuESTT in her monthly report to the Superior Board of Education Monday evening.

Fierstein, elementary principal, reported on AQuESTT (Accountability for Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow). AQuESTT has been referred to a the school state report card. AQuESTT classifies schools and districts into four performance levels: Excellent (4), Great (3), Good (2) and Needs Improvement (1).

The 2023 AquEST classifications are based on the 2022-23 school year (last year). School status scores are initially based on the percentage of students at proficiency level for the NSCAS/ACT reading and math assessments. Then, the score is adjusted based on a few other factors, such as level of growth, graduation rate, chronic absenteeism and level of proficiency on the science assessment.

Over the past three years, the percentage of Superior Elementary students with ELA and math assessment non-proficient scores had decreased. (The ELA score measures overall performances in English, reading and writing.) During the 2020-21 school year 65.75 percent of Superior Elementary School students had non-proficient scores. The next year (2021-22) 54.55 percent had non-proficient scores. Last year (2022-23) 32.47 percent had non-proficient scores.

Superior Elementary received a four (excellent) rating. Last year it was a two (good.)

This year the middle school received a one (needs support to improve) rating as it did last year. The high school received a two rating (good) also as it did last year. Overall the district received a two rating up from the one it received last year.