Libby students test on par with state average

Libby students tested at roughly the same overall levels as the Montana average, according to data released in December by the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

The district students tested below the state average in mathematics competency, with 31 percent of students meeting or exceeding established standards as compared to 38 percent statewide, but tested higher in English and language arts, with 47 percent overall success, compared to the state average of 45 percent.

The testing, contracted through vendor Measured Progress, a non-profit educational organization, was supposed to be implemented statewide during the 2014-2015 school year, but technical issues with the product resulted in excessive delays and only about 70 percent of Montana students were tested last year, according to Libby schools superintendent Craig Barringer. The technical issues also created problems for teachers and students, issues Barringer said contributed to lower-than-expected test scores from Libby students.

“Adjusting to the new testing procedures was difficult for both students and teachers,” Barringer said.

The new tests are computer-assisted, instead of the old bubble sheet standardized testing. Students and teachers dealt with a variety of technical issues, from logging in to drag-and-drop issues with answers and random shutdowns and system crashes, all of which adversely impacted student scores, Barringer said.

Even with the issues and the resulting low scores, district officials were pleased with the overall results.

“This is a great place to start, to see where we’re really at,” said Kaide Dodson, the district’s curriculum director. “I like what I see in these new tests. It gives us more information to allow us to tailor our education plans to the needs of individual students.”

The tests, Dodson said, are computer-adaptive, meaning they adjust based upon the students’ responses. The adjustments provide a more accurate assessment of the students’ actual performance level instead of a straight grade-level rating.

“We’re getting some good information we can use to benefit our students,” Barringer said. “There’s really good information in these test results.”