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Third-grade reading scores remain steady in Moffat County schools

Josh Nichols

Moffat County third graders scored slightly higher than the state average on Colorado Statewide Assessment Program (CSAP) reading tests this year.

In Moffat County, 76 percent of students scored in the proficient or advanced categories in third-grade reading, according to results released Tuesday by the state.

Moffat County School Superintendent Pete Bergmann said Wednesday the third-grade CSAP test is the first major test those students take.



“What it does is it gives us a baseline for that group,” he said. “We will use that baseline as those students progress through school. We’ll look at the data and take it for what it’s worth as one test for that grade and build from there.”

He said the data would be assessed and used as a tool for teaching that class of students.



“We will break down the individual results and look and the individual needs of the students,” he said.

Bergmann said it is good to see that the scores over the past few years have remained steady.

He said the steps that have been taken to improve student achievement since the tests were first

implemented in 1998, when 65 percent of students scored in the proficient and advanced range, have worked.

“Obviously we want to keep on improving but that’s a pretty good number,” he said.

Statewide, 74 percent of third graders scored proficient or advanced.

Students are rated on a scale of unsatisfactory, partially proficient, proficient or advanced.

In Moffat County, 17 percent of students were partially proficient, while 7 percent scored in the unsatisfactory range.

Last year, 16 percent of students were partially proficient, while 5 percent were unsatisfactory.

This year’s third-grade class scored about the same as the previous third-grade class.

Last year, 75 percent of Moffat County third graders scored proficient or advanced.

The Moffat County School District has put more focus on reading since the tests were first given in 1998.

That year, 65 percent of students scored in the proficient or advanced range.

Assessment tests are given to students in grades three through 10 each March and April. Third-grade reading scores are announced first so students with problems can be identified and helped before the beginning of the next school year. Other scores are released in July.

Josh Nichols can be reached at 824-7031 or jnichols@craigdailypress.com.


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