As superintendent of Kennewick schools, I feel compelled to respond to the Sept. 25 In Focus. It was a classic example of taking data points out of context, which was misleading to the reader. The main argument posed was that since 7th grade reading scores have declined in Kennewick over the past four years, having a goal that students read on grade level is a failed policy.
To begin, readers might be interested to learn that Kennewick 10th-graders have exceeded state averages in reading for ten consecutive years and in writing for eight of ten. We certainly look at checkpoints, like seventh-grade reading scores, but we are most interested in the results students get when the test they are taking is a graduation requirement, and they exert their very best effort.
But, let's take a look at those seventh-grade reading scores locally and across the state. Since 2007, every Mid-Columbia district along with the entire state has seen their seventh-grade reading scores drop, in some cases dramatically. Does that mean that all seventh-graders are reading less capably than four years ago? Or could it mean that the state assessments and the grade level standards have become more challenging?
We know the assessment has changed. The WASL is gone, replaced by the MSP. To determine whether the standards have changed, we can look at other nationally benchmarked test data. The Kennewick School District, along with more than 7,000 schools in 42 states, participates in Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing through the Northwest Evaluation Association. The MAP test is given to nearly three million students nationwide. What do those results show for Kennewick seventh-graders? In 2007 and 2010, the exact same percentage of students scored above the 50th percentile as measured against national norms, hardly a dramatic decline.
In addition, the state administers reading tests in grades 3-8 and 10, and the District does MAP testing in grades 3-10, results that are readily available. However, there was no mention of those results in the In Focus piece. Only seventh-grade results were used, not giving the full picture for Kennewick students.
The article contends that the focus on reading has had a negative impact on other subject areas, but no data was provided to support that. Our science scores hit all-time highs this year as did the state's science scores. In addition, more students than ever are passing Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, earning certifications and college credits at Tri-Tech, and participating in our outstanding fine arts programs.
The importance of teaching students to read well by third-grade is best illustrated by the following district statistics: Of the students who took our third-grade MAP reading test in 2004, 648 of them were still with us in 2011 as 10th-graders and took the state test. If those students met our 3rd grade reading standard in 2004, they passed the state test at a 94.5 percent rate. If they didn't meet our third-grade reading standard in 2004, they passed the state test in 2011 at rate of only 44.2 percent. That speaks volumes about the importance of the 3rd Grade Reading Goal.
The 3rd Grade Reading Goal has been a huge advantage for the Kennewick School District. It has focused our school system on making sure that students learn to read early, so that they have the benefit of being able to learn content in all other areas. Kennewick students should continue to have the opportunity to experience a school system where goal setting is important, and reading takes a high priority.
-- Dave Bonds is the superintendent for Kennewick School District.
