RICAS scores show little improvement from last year

PROVIDENCE – The second round of annual results from the Rhode Island dComprehensive Assessment System (RICAS) testing was released by the R.I. Departfment of Education (RIDE) on Tuesday and show a small improvement over last year.

Statewide, 38 percent of students in grades 3 through 8 met or exceeded expectations in English language arts (ELA), as did 30 percent in mathematics, according to RIDE.

Meg Geoghegan, RIDE communications director, the 2018-2019 results represent an increase of 4 and 3 percentage points, respectively. She also cautioned, however, that a spike is a common trend in the second year of administration of a new assessment as students and teachers become accustomed to the test style and format. When Rhode Island first adopted the former PARCC exam used to measure student achievement previously, the state saw increases of 3 and 5 percentage points in ELA and mathematics, according to RIDE.

“These results are moving in the right direction, but it is too early to determine a consistent trend. What is clear is that much more needs to be done to bring Rhode Island performance where it needs to be,” Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Angélica Infante-Green said of the just released results.

Rhode Island still lags behind Massachusetts by 14 percentage points in ELA and 19 percentage points in math, Angelica Infante-Green noted.

“We have high standards, a strong assessment, and a lot of great work happening in our schools. Now it’s time to stay the course and double down on the things that will move us forward, faster, in order to improve outcomes for students,” Angelica Infante-Green said.

Barbara S. Cottam, chair of the Rhode Island Board of Education, pointed to the results as showing the need for more work in improving student performance.

“We adopted the RICAS because Massachusetts is a trusted partner, and if we want to be a national leader in education, it’s the right comparison to make,” Cottam said.

“As we complete a second year of testing, we are reminded of how much work we have to do, but incredible possibilities lie ahead if we all follow through on this longterm vision for education. Our students and families deserve nothing less,” Cottam said.

The results show that Rhode Island continues to face significant equity gaps, according to RIDE.

Testing for both ELA and math, indicate differently abled and multilingual learners are performing at single-digit proficiency levels, according to RIDE.

“Calling out these achievement gaps is so important. We need to name equity gaps, talk about them, and establish intentional strategies to better serve all students,” Infante-Green said.

“All means all, and we cannot effectively serve all students by doing more of the same,” Infante-Green added.

As part of the release, RIDE also shared results for ACCESS and Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) with school communities. Those assessments are given specifically to multilingual learners and students with significant cognitive differences, according to RIDE.

On ACCESS, Rhode Island saw nearly single digit proficiency across the board. On DLM, 24 percent of students tested met their target in ELA, 12 percent in math, and 16 percent in science, RIDE noted.

More detailed results can be viewed in a presentation given this week to LEA leaders.

With PSAT/SAT and RICAS results complete, Geoghegan said RIDE will begin preparing for the release of 2019 accountability results. The accountability release is expected by the end of November.

Local districts showed the following results for students not achieving the English Language Arts standard:

• Woonsocket, 32.05 percent of students tested.

• Pawtucket, 26.82 percent of students tested.

• Central Falls, 42.38 percent of students tested.

• Burrillville, 16.20 percent of students tested.

• Lincoln, 10:52 percent of students tested.

• Cumberland, 6.84 percent of students tested.

• And, North Smithfield 5.31 percent of students tested.

Under the mathematics results, the percentages of local district students not achieving the math standard are:

• Woonsocket, 36.84 percent of students tested.

• Pawtucket, 29.12 percent of students tested.

• Central Falls, 50.04 percent of students tested.

• Burrillville, 21.62 percent of students tested.

• Lincoln, 8.09 percent of students tested.

• Cumberland, 6.29 percent of students tested.

• And, North Smithfield, 6.25 percent of students tested.