2005
Comparison of 2014 LEAP Results for RSD-NO to Other Louisiana Public School Districts
Charles J. Hatfield
Co-Founder of Research on Reforms
Email: [email protected]
8/15/2014
(Revised)
2014
This report analyzes the 2014 4th and 2014 8th LEAP test results for the Recovery District in New
Orleans (RSD-NO). These 4th and 8th grade students have probably attended RSD-NO schools since the
first grade1. Therefore, one would expect that they benefited much more from their instructional
experiences in RSD-NO than their pre-Katrina counterparts. Research on Reforms (ROR) expected that,
as a group, these students would not score at or near the bottom of the 2014 LEAP test in any of the
subjects tested; but that did not happen.
This report presents the 2014 percent proficient and equivalent percentile rank status for the RSDNO in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, science and social studies.2 It is important to emphasize
that a percentile rank represents a type of measurement that should not be added or subtracted from
one another. One can only state whether a percentile rank is higher or lower than another but not how
much higher or lower. See Appendix A for descriptions the various statistical terms used in this report.
The results for 4th grade are presented in Chart 1. Compared to other school districts in the state,
the RSD-NO’s 4th graders have a percentile rank of 15 in ELA. Appendix B shows that a percentile rank
of 15 is equivalent to a percent proficient
Chart 1
RSD-NO's 4th Grade 2014 Percentile Proficient Ranks Relative to the Other
Louisiana School Districts
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
i
l
e
99
R
a
n
k
In mathematics, the RSD-NO 4th
50
15
19
8
1
the school districts have a percent
proficient score that is less than 62.3
75
25
score of 62. This means that only 15% of
13
1
ELA
Math
Science
Social Study
LEAP Subjects
graders are performing at the 19th
percentile. Appendix B shows that RSDNO percentile rank of 19 is equivalent to
a percent proficient score of 66. This means that only 19% of the school districts have a percent
proficiency score that is less than 66. Similar interpretations can be made for the results in science and
social studies. It can also be observed that the performance of the RSD-NO in all of the subjects at the
4th grade level is not only below the 50th percentile, i.e. median, but also below the 25th percentile which
represents the bottom part of the distribution of test scores.
Chart 2 presents the results for 8th grade. It shows that compared to the other school districts in
the state, the RSD-NO's 8th graders have a percentile rank of 23 in ELA. Its percent proficiency score is 56
(See Appendix C). This means that 23% of the other school districts in Louisiana have a percent
proficient score that is less than 56.
1
In mathematics, the RSD-NO 8th graders have a percentile rank of 45 (See Appendix C). A
percentile rank of 45 is equivalent to a percent proficient score of 65. This means that 45% of the other
school districts have a percent proficient score less than 65. There is much variability among 8th grade
results in the four subjects as compared to the consistency of results for the 4th grade. Its mathematics
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
i
l
e
99
100
Chart 2
RSD-NO 8th Grade 2014 Percentile Proficient Ranks Relative to the Other
Louisiana School Districts
the performance of the RSD-NO is
5050
2525
higher than those for ELA and
science. It can also be observed that
7575
R
a
n
k
and social studies scores are much
45
38
23
below the 25th percentile in each
subject except for mathematics and
18
social studies.
1 10
ELA
Math
Science
LEAP Subjects
Social Study
The 8th grade performance
in mathematics is particularly
noteworthy since its percentile rank is approaching the 50 th percentile. What makes this performance
interesting is that the 2014 transitional LEAP tests incorporated the new the Common Core State
Standards (CCSS). These standards are supposed to be more rigorous than the old accountability
standards. Therefore, one would have expected the performance in mathematics to be much worse
than that reported. Whether these mathematics results are valid or questionable is beyond the scope of
this report at this time. One has to trust the validity of the LDOE’s data until proven otherwise and give
kudos to 8th grade teachers of mathematics.
These results raise a simple question: Can the 2014 LEAP results presented in this paper be
seriously considered as evidence that the RSD-NO is a success at the 4th and 8th grade levels? It is
generally accepted that the Orleans parish schools taken over by the RSD-NO as a group were
preforming the bottom achievement levels of LEAP and iLEAP. However, despite the achievement gains
reported during the past nine years by the ardent supporters of this ”reform” movement, the RSD-NO is
still performing below the vast majority of the other districts at the 4th and 8th grades in each subject.
ROR believes that the results present here suggest otherwise. An excellent analysis of the aggregated
2014 LEAP/iLEAP proficient percentile rank results by school district that appears in the Louisiana
Educator’s post on June 3rd gives credence to this conclusion.
In 2002, the Louisiana State Department of Education (LDOE) established a new student goal of
100% percent proficient in ELA and mathematics by the spring of 2014. Yet, none of Louisiana school
districts achieved this unrealistic No Child Left Behind Goal (NCLB)4 goal at the 4th and 8th grade levels.
2
Now, the pendulum has swung back and the LDOE is starting all over again by raising the achievement
bar and pursuing an even more unrealistic goal for 2025, i.e., 100% achievement at the mastery level in
ELA and mathematics by 2025. This new goal is predicated on the successful implementation of the
recently introduced Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and their associated new assessments, i.e.,
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). According to a news release
by the LDOE on May 27th, the new mastery goal and higher expectations are necessary since
achievement at the basic level, “... does not correspond with community college or university success.
While 69 percent of students hit this mark, for example, only 28 percent complete a university or
community college degree…” This is an extremely important point. However, whether this is true or not
is debatable since the LDOE did not present any empirical data or other references to the public to
support this assertion.
As of this writing, the implementation of these new standards and assessments is stalled in an
educational/political/economic/power quagmire among the governor, BESE, and LDOE. BESE and the
governor are suing each other over the implementation of CCSS and PARCC. What an imbroglio this is
for the parents, students, educators and the general public of Louisiana. It is too early to determine the
far reaching consequences of this controversy, except to state that ROR believes it will wreak havoc on
the Louisiana public educational system unless settled quickly. This reform movement has degenerated
into a “Louisiana Circus,” as acclaimed critic, Dianne Ravitch, has so aptly exclaimed.
3
Endnotes
1
th
th
To accurately determine how many of the2014 4 and 8 graders in the RSD-NO have been in the system since
1 grade, one would need to use student level data files to longitudinally tract these cohorts back to first grade.
The LDOE has that data but has refused to provide it to ROR.
st
2
ROR computed percent proficient scores for each school district by adding the percent of students that
scored at or above basic in each district. When the data were suppressed by the LDOE in any of those
achievement categories, the percent proficient was computed by adding the percent of students scoring
in Approaching Basic and Unsatisfactory and then subtracting that sum from 100. Using these two
scenarios, ROR was able to generate percent proficient scores for all of the districts reported. The
percentile rank associated with each proficient score was then generated using 2010 Microsoft Excel’s
Percentrank.exc function. Percent proficient and percentile ranks were not computed for the combined
results of the RSD-NO, RSD-EBR, and the RSD-Louisiana.
It should be emphasized that after the 2010 spring testing, the LDOE revised its reporting methods for
reporting students scoring in each of the five LEAP achievement levels, i.e., Advanced, Mastery, Basic,
Approaching Basic and Unsatisfactory. It now reports only percent of students scoring in each of the
achievement category along with suppressed percentages and enrollment numbers. The LDOE
suppresses percent and numbers by adding “≥” or “≤” in from of them. This tactic severely limits the
scope of researchers or general public from re-configuring or analyzing the LDOE’s data to answer their
own specific questions. The reader is again referred to the LEAP reports for 4th and 8th referenced earlier
for examples of this.
3
The LDOE reports whole rounded numbers for percent proficient. This may result in rounding errors
when computing percentile ranks. These rounded percent proficient scores are the best available data
from the LDOE at this time.
4
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public Law 107‐110, and Section 101
4
Appendix A
Definitions of Major Statistical Terms Used in Report
Number Proficient/Mastery:
In LEAP and iLEAP, the proficient score represents the number of
students scoring at Basic or above, i.e., Basic, Mastery or Advanced. Number Mastery is the number of
students scoring at Mastery or above, i.e., Mastery or Advanced.
Percent Proficient/Mastery: In LEAP and iLEAP, the proficient score represents the number of
students scoring Basic or above, i.e., Basic, Mastery or Advanced, divided by the total number of
students tested. Percent Mastery is the number of students scoring at Mastery or above, i.e., Mastery
or Advanced, divided by the number of students tested.
Percentile/Percentile Rank: A percentile rank indicates what percent of scores are lower than a
given score in a distribution of scores. Percentile ranks and associated quartiles generally provide more
information about district test scores in terms of how they compare to each other, than raw scores such
as scaled scores, percent correct or percentages. It is important to emphasize that a percentile rank
represents a type of measurement that should not be added or subtracted from one another. One can
only assess whether a rank is higher or lower than another. Percentile rank definitions can vary. The
definition of percentile rank used in this paper is that it represents the percentage of district proficient
scores that fall below a given score.
Quartile: Percentile distributions range from 1 to 99. A quartile is “…One of the three points that
divide a range of data or population into four equal parts. The first quartile (also called the lower
quartile) is the number below which 25 percent of the bottom data falls. The second quartile (the
median) divides the range in the middle and has 50 percent of the data are below it and 50% are above.
The third quartile (also called the upper quartile) has 75 percent of the data below it and the top 25
percent of the data above it... ”
Mean/Median/Mode: “…Mean, median, and mode are three kinds of averages. There are many
"averages" in statistics, but these are … the three most common… The mean is the average … where you
add up all the numbers and then divide by the number of numbers. The median is the middle value in
the list of numbers… The ‘mode’ is the value that occurs most often…”
5
Appendix B
th
2014 Computed 4 Grade Percent Proficient and Equivalent Percentile Rank for LEAP Subjects
Note: the ELA Percent Proficient scores or ranked from high to low
RSD-NO scores are highlighted in green
District Name
ELA
Percent
Proficient
LOUISIANA STATEWIDE
CENTRAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
PLAQUEMINES PARISH
ZACHARY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
ST. CHARLES PARISH
VERNON PARISH
EVANGELINE PARISH
OPSB
ST. TAMMANY PARISH
LIVINGSTON PARISH
ASCENSION PARISH
OUACHITA PARISH
WEST FELICIANA PARISH
BOSSIER PARISH
CAMERON PARISH
ST. JAMES PARISH
ALLEN PARISH
VERMILION PARISH
WEST CARROLL PARISH
JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH
LASALLE PARISH
ST. BERNARD PARISH
CALCASIEU PARISH
TERREBONNE PARISH
CITY OF MONROE SCHOOL DISTRICT
BEAUREGARD PARISH
LAFOURCHE PARISH
GRANT PARISH
CATAHOULA PARISH
ST. MARY PARISH
ST. MARTIN PARISH
WASHINGTON PARISH
IBERIA PARISH
SABINE PARISH
JEFFERSON PARISH
ST. LANDRY PARISH
RAPIDES PARISH
JACKSON PARISH
ACADIA PARISH
DESOTO PARISH
LAFAYETTE PARISH
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH
BIENVILLE PARISH
TENSAS PARISH
WEBSTER PARISH
CALDWELL PARISH
IBERVILLE PARISH
ASSUMPTION PARISH
FRANKLIN PARISH
EAST FELICIANA PARISH
WINN PARISH
EAST BATON ROUGE
POINTE COUPEE PARISH
WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH
CADDO PARISH
CLAIBORNE PARISH
LINCOLN PARISH
MOREHOUSE PARISH
ST. HELENA PARISH
NATCHITOCHES PARISH
TANGIPAHOA PARISH
RSD — NEW ORLEANS
EAST CARROLL PARISH
CITY OF BOGALUSA SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONCORDIA PARISH
RED RIVER PARISH
CITY OF BAKER SCHOOL DISTRICT
AVOYELLES PARISH
UNION PARISH
RICHLAND PARISH
MADISON PARISH
RSD — EAST BATON ROUGE
76
94
93
93
90
90
88
86
86
86
84
84
84
83
83
82
82
82
81
81
81
80
80
80
80
79
79
78
78
77
77
77
77
76
76
76
75
75
74
74
74
74
74
73
73
73
72
72
72
72
71
71
70
70
69
68
67
65
65
64
63
62
60
60
59
59
59
58
56
55
44
41
ELA
Percentile
Proficient
Rank
99
96
96
93
93
92
88
88
88
83
83
83
81
81
76
76
76
72
72
72
67
67
67
67
64
64
61
61
56
56
56
56
51
51
51
49
49
42
42
42
42
42
38
38
38
32
32
32
32
29
29
26
26
25
24
22
19
19
18
17
15
13
13
8
8
8
7
6
4
3
1
Math
Percent
Proficient
76
90
94
94
91
88
90
89
88
84
84
82
80
84
82
87
82
74
86
77
72
86
81
75
73
79
75
80
70
81
79
79
78
79
75
66
78
73
82
73
72
72
70
80
73
69
80
73
71
69
77
69
69
66
66
62
67
67
36
59
57
66
65
63
67
57
56
63
59
56
50
54
Math
Percentile
Proficient
Rank
93
97
97
96
89
93
92
89
81
81
75
67
81
75
88
75
50
85
56
39
85
72
51
43
61
51
67
35
72
61
61
58
61
51
19
58
43
75
43
39
39
35
67
43
29
67
43
38
29
56
29
29
19
19
14
25
25
1
11
8
19
18
15
25
8
6
15
11
6
3
4
Science
Percent
Proficient
68
89
89
86
82
86
79
82
83
83
76
78
76
76
70
80
83
76
84
77
75
75
72
72
69
74
74
80
67
67
68
64
66
72
67
63
67
60
67
67
68
60
68
53
63
72
63
63
65
64
63
60
61
59
59
47
57
54
47
59
56
49
43
49
54
59
49
57
57
51
33
23
Science
Percentile
Proficient
Rank
97
97
94
86
94
82
86
89
89
74
81
74
74
61
83
89
74
93
79
71
71
63
63
60
68
68
83
47
47
56
42
46
63
47
35
47
29
47
47
56
29
56
14
35
63
35
35
44
42
35
29
33
24
24
6
19
15
6
24
18
8
4
8
15
24
8
19
19
13
3
1
Social
Social Studies
Studies
Percentile
Percent
Proficient
Rank
Proficient
70
92
90
90
86
88
83
84
84
84
81
81
80
78
78
79
83
76
82
75
76
76
77
73
68
80
73
74
73
67
69
66
69
75
70
66
69
73
68
71
69
64
66
56
61
67
66
69
68
65
62
62
59
61
59
51
59
51
34
60
59
54
63
55
57
50
45
59
61
46
38
19
99
96
96
93
94
86
89
89
89
82
82
79
75
75
78
86
69
85
67
69
69
74
60
46
79
60
65
60
43
50
38
50
67
57
38
50
60
46
58
50
35
38
15
26
43
38
50
46
36
31
31
18
26
18
10
18
10
3
25
18
13
33
14
17
8
6
18
26
7
4
1
6
Appendix C
2014 Computed 8th Grade Percent Proficient and Equivalent Percentile Rank for LEAP Subjects
Note: the ELA Percent Proficient scores or ranked from high to low
RSD-NO scores are highlighted in green
District Name
LOUISIANA STATEWIDE
ZACHARY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
PLAQUEMINES PARISH
CENTRAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
ST. CHARLES PARISH
ST. TAMMANY PARISH
ASCENSION PARISH
OPSB
LIVINGSTON PARISH
VERNON PARISH
OUACHITA PARISH
WEST FELICIANA PARISH
VERMILION PARISH
SABINE PARISH
LINCOLN PARISH
WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH
CAMERON PARISH
LASALLE PARISH
BOSSIER PARISH
JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH
EVANGELINE PARISH
EAST CARROLL PARISH
CALCASIEU PARISH
ALLEN PARISH
CALDWELL PARISH
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH
ASSUMPTION PARISH
BIENVILLE PARISH
ST. BERNARD PARISH
ST. MARY PARISH
DESOTO PARISH
IBERIA PARISH
LAFOURCHE PARISH
WEST CARROLL PARISH
ACADIA PARISH
WINN PARISH
TERREBONNE PARISH
WEBSTER PARISH
LAFAYETTE PARISH
ST. LANDRY PARISH
GRANT PARISH
BEAUREGARD PARISH
TANGIPAHOA PARISH
JACKSON PARISH
RAPIDES PARISH
ST. JAMES PARISH
WASHINGTON PARISH
ST. MARTIN PARISH
JEFFERSON PARISH
NATCHITOCHES PARISH
CATAHOULA PARISH
CADDO PARISH
FRANKLIN PARISH
RSD — NEW ORLEANS
EAST BATON ROUGE
POINTE COUPEE PARISH
UNION PARISH
IBERVILLE PARISH
EAST FELICIANA PARISH
CITY OF MONROE SCHOOL DISTRICT
RICHLAND PARISH
MOREHOUSE PARISH
CONCORDIA PARISH
CITY OF BAKER SCHOOL DISTRICT
CITY OF BOGALUSA SCHOOL DISTRICT
CLAIBORNE PARISH
TENSAS PARISH
RED RIVER PARISH
MADISON PARISH
AVOYELLES PARISH
RSD — EAST BATON ROUGE
ELA Percent
Proficient
66
88
84
83
81
80
78
78
77
77
77
76
76
76
75
74
74
73
72
71
71
70
69
69
69
68
68
68
67
67
67
67
67
66
66
66
66
65
65
65
63
63
63
62
61
61
61
60
59
59
58
58
58
56
56
56
54
54
54
52
50
49
48
46
45
41
41
40
38
38
33
ELA
Percentile
Proficient
Rank
99
97
96
94
93
90
90
86
86
86
82
82
82
80
77
77
76
75
72
72
70
66
66
66
62
62
62
55
55
55
55
55
49
49
49
49
45
45
45
41
41
41
39
35
35
35
34
31
31
27
27
27
23
23
23
18
18
18
17
15
14
13
11
10
7
7
6
3
3
1
Math
Percent
Proficient
65
85
78
84
78
79
79
76
77
82
73
76
68
67
70
70
75
71
71
65
71
75
67
62
54
72
72
79
75
66
65
59
69
58
65
61
65
61
65
57
67
67
61
68
59
75
65
57
62
57
56
51
57
65
59
65
52
54
60
48
53
46
53
37
41
41
35
47
42
41
40
Math
Percentile
Proficient
Rank
99
89
97
89
92
92
85
87
96
77
85
63
58
68
68
79
70
70
45
70
79
58
42
21
75
75
92
79
56
45
32
66
31
45
38
45
38
45
25
58
58
38
63
32
79
45
25
42
25
24
15
25
45
32
45
17
21
37
14
18
11
18
3
6
6
1
13
10
6
4
Science
Percent
Proficient
63
81
79
79
81
81
79
73
83
78
75
79
78
69
70
78
83
71
70
74
67
75
71
70
63
58
62
60
73
65
66
61
64
72
64
56
64
61
61
56
65
72
62
58
61
59
57
52
60
49
62
53
55
50
53
58
66
56
48
52
53
47
59
28
36
40
26
40
32
37
32
Science
Percentile
Proficient
Rank
Social
Studies
Percent
Proficient
Social Studies
Percentile
Proficient
Rank
93
87
87
93
93
87
76
97
83
80
87
83
65
66
83
97
70
66
79
63
80
70
66
52
32
48
39
76
58
61
42
54
73
54
27
54
42
42
27
58
73
48
32
42
37
31
18
39
15
48
21
25
17
21
32
61
27
14
18
21
13
37
3
7
10
1
10
4
8
4
66
89
83
82
78
82
81
75
81
79
73
82
72
67
67
74
67
77
73
71
68
74
71
71
65
65
63
60
79
68
66
66
60
71
64
64
62
64
63
58
68
66
64
63
61
61
58
53
60
56
63
55
54
61
58
56
58
52
44
62
52
44
57
33
41
47
41
42
49
37
35
99
97
93
86
93
90
83
90
87
77
93
76
62
62
80
62
85
77
70
66
80
70
70
55
55
44
32
87
66
58
58
32
70
49
49
41
49
44
27
66
58
49
44
37
37
27
18
32
23
44
21
20
37
27
23
27
15
10
41
15
10
25
1
6
13
6
8
14
4
3
7