PARIS — School Administrative District 17 Director Bob Jewell said Monday that he wants to see improved test scores following the release of the latest state test results, which show limited improvement districtwide.

“We put new curriculum in place. When are we going to see some results?” asked Jewell, who represents Paris on the board.

Curriculum Director Heather Manchester presented the results, which include Maine Educational Assessments for grades three through eight in math and language arts, science MEAs for grades five, eight and 11, and the SATs at the high school level.

MEAs measure student progress toward content standards adopted for Maine.

This is the first year since 2013 the district has been able to make a comparison of tests results since the new MEA s were introduced two years ago.

The results were largely disappointing, many board members said. Results showed only slight increases in literacy, some in science, and none in math. Scores from students receiving special needs continue to be well-below expectations.

“The math scores are still not where we want them to be,” Manchester told directors.

Despite a bleak picture, there were some highlights coming out of the test results, she said.

In the language arts scores, for example, all elementary schools exceeded the previous year’s scores. The increase in this year’s scores ranged from 7 percent at the Agnes Gray School to 16 percent in towns like Hebron and Oxford.

Otisfield results also showed 78 percent of its students tested above state average in science.

Superintendent Rick Colpitts said that a number of new measures, such as new curriculum, have been put in place and they need to “mature” before results will be seen in the scores.

“We can’t do it all in one year,” said Colpitts.

He said administrators are not happy with the tests results, but until changes made within the system are given time, it would not be fair to assume they have failed.

“There are other things we can look at to judge success,” Colpitts said.

In other news, directors:

• approved a request by Athletic Director Kevin Ryan to form an Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School indoor track club. Colpitts suggested that he return to the board with detailed information about minimal funding for meet fees, transportation or other needs there might for the board to take a vote on any funding. Ryan said about 15 students have already expressed interest in the winter program and a volunteer coach is available.

• accepted an $800 donation to support language arts staff professional development at Oxford Hills Middle School;

• elected Robert Kirchherr to the Maine Vocational Region No. 11 cooperative board;

• authorized Colpitts to enter into a $319,980 lease/purchase agreement for three school buses and a truck. Directors also authorized him to buy two new school buses during the 2017-18 school year using about $60,000 from the contingency fund for the initial lease payment. The purchase of the two buses was approved for Maine Department of Education state subsidy last week, but state funding won’t kick in until the second year of the lease.

ldixon@sunmediagroup.net

School Administrative District 17 Director Barry Patrie of Waterford said Monday there is no evidence that home-schooled children would fare better in standardized tests because they’re not mandated to take them as public school students are.  (Leslie H. Dixon/Advertiser Democrat)

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