MINUTES
Monday, November
4, 2002
Members of the Board Curriculum Committee met on Monday, November 4, 2002, at 7:20 p.m. in SuperintendentÕs Conference Room A of the Education Center. Present were Curriculum Committee Members, William Nelson, Monty Perfetti, and Richard Agretto and Board Members, Loretta Leeson, Craig Haytmanek, William Heske, Charlene Koch, Margaret Williams, Julie Venanzi, and Joe Craig. Also in attendance were Superintendent Joseph A. Lewis and Assistant Superintendent Michele Kostem.
There were no items brought up for discussion.
Elizabeth Conard presented a report summarizing the Bethlehem Area School DistrictÕs results on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) for the 2001-2002 school year. The report also included a longitudinal view of the test data from the last five school years. The assessments covered in this report included reading and mathematics test results for grades 5, 8, and 11, scaled scores, similar school bands, performance levels, and Standards results compared longitudinally and with state results.
District average scaled scores in grades 5 and 8 showed students performed above the state averages in both mathematics and reading. Non-vocational technical students in grade 11 scored in the average to above average range, and vocational technical students performed slightly below average.
Over the reported five year period, average scaled scores have improved at all levels. It was noted that during this period, the numbers of students classified as economically disadvantaged, the number of LEP students, and the number of students with IEPÕs had increased.
Average Standards scores increased on all three levels in both mathematics and reading. Fifteen of the sixteen elementary schools scored within or above their similar school bands in mathematics, and sixteen of sixteen in reading. Dr. Lewis noted that all four middle schools scored above the similar school bands in both mathematics and reading. High school results show that both schools scored within the expected range in both math and reading.
In mathematics, 63% of grade five students in Bethlehem scored higher than students statewide at the advanced or proficient level; and in reading, 60% of grade five students in Bethlehem scored higher than those statewide at the same levels.
At the middle schools, 65% of Bethlehem students performed at the advanced or proficient level in math and 68% of our students performed at the advanced or proficient levels in reading. Bethlehem students scored above students statewide in both of these areas.
At the high school level, Bethlehem students fell just slightly under the percentages of the students statewide in both mathematics and reading. The difference between scores for vo-tech and non vo-tech students ran very similar in comparison to those same two student groups statewide.
Bethlehem Area School District grades five and eight students performed above average on all math and reading state standards. Non vo-tech students scored at or above average on 12 of the 16 standards, and vo-tech students scored at or above state standards in only one area.
It was noted that in the area of ÒProblem SolvingÓ in mathematics, students scored at the 1400 range. This area had been a problem to Bethlehem students in the past.
Craig Haytmanek asked if the Bethlehem Area School District is prepared to meet the new state mandates. Dr. Lewis told him that we perform better than most other suburban schools, and that we are very healthy academically; however, he feels that the state mandates are somewhat unrealistic.
Dr. Lewis thanked Elizabeth Conard for her time and effort involved in this project.
The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Minutes prepared by: __________________________________
Lynda Ruth, Confidential Secretary