EXPLORE, PLAN scores increase for most

Scores for the EXPLORE and PLAN tests increased for the most part for the 2010-11 school year, with the EXPLORE test seeing more growth in the scores than the PLAN.
The EXPLORE and PLAN tests are precursors to the ACT, and are taken by eighth- and 10th-graders as a predictor of how those students eventually will do on the ACT. The tests cover English, math, reading and science, and are structured the same as the ACT.
Along with the growth from last year, the scores compared favorably to the national norms, which were set in 2005 as the average score for students across the country. The scores didn’t compare as well to the benchmarks developed by ACT Inc. The majority of students at most schools didn’t meet benchmarks in most subjects, English being an exception.
The tests play a part in the new pledge that districts have made to increase the college and career readiness of their students by 50 percent by 2015, because it shows teachers where interventions are needed to get students on the right track for the test.
Hardin County Schools’ administrators were pleased with the results for the most part, especially in how its scores compared to national norms. Mark Kopp, director of assessment, said that gives the district a more “realistic data” set than looking at the ACT benchmarks. The norms are lower than the benchmarks in almost all of the areas.
“As a district, we’re doing pretty darn good,” he said.
Kopp said teachers use this data along with data from other exams to get a more complete picture of how students are performing, all of which typically is done in professional learning communities within schools.
“They’re all pieces of an overall puzzle,” he said.
Karen Branham, assistant superintendent for instruction at Elizabethtown Independent Schools, said EIS is looking at the ACT benchmarks for comparison. She was happy to see that the schools meet or surpass them in English and reading, but sees work the district needs to do in math and science. Branham said the district is looking to make changes in their math and science programs because they are the weakest subjects.
T.K. Stone Middle School had the most students meet English and reading benchmarks for EXPLORE, with 66.7 percent and 50.7 percent, respectively. East Hardin Middle School had the most students meet the math benchmark, with 39 percent. J.T. Alton Middle School had the most students meet the science benchmark, with 18 percent.
Scores on the EXPLORE for T.K. Stone and Bluegrass middle schools grew in all subject areas. East’s scores increased in math, fell in English and were stable in reading and science. J.T. Alton’s scores increased in all areas except English, in which it remained the same. North Middle School’s scores fell in English but increased in other subjects. West Hardin Middle School’s scores fell in every subject. LaRue County Middle School’s scores fell in English and math and increased in reading and science.
Scores for T.K. Stone and J.T. Alton were above the national norm in all areas. West’s English scores were above the norm. East, Bluegrass, North Middle and LaRue County Middle had math scores above the norm. East, Bluegrass, West and LaRue had reading scores above the norm. Science scores for East, Bluegrass, North, West and LaRue were above the norm.
For the PLAN test, Elizabethtown High School had the most students meet the benchmarks set by ACT Inc. in all areas, with 74 percent in English, 36.1 percent in math, 57.1 percent in reading and 25.6 percent in science.
Elizabethtown High’s scores on the PLAN test increased in English and reading, fell in math and remained the same in science. John Hardin High School’s scores fell in every subject. Scores for North Hardin High School and Central Hardin High School  increased in math and reading and fell in English and science. LaRue County High School’s scores increased in all subjects except science.
Elizabethtown High’s scores were above the national norm in all areas. Central’s scores were above the norms in all areas except English. LaRue County High’s scores were above the norms in all areas except science. None of the scores for John or North were above the national norms.
Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505-1747 or kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com.

EXPLORE

English

   - T.K. Stone - 15.2

   - East Hardin - 13.7

   - Bluegrass - 13.7

   - J.T. Alton - 14.2

   - North Middle - 13.0

   - West Hardin - 14.2

   - LaRue County Middle - 14.1

Math

 - T.K. Stone - 15.2

  - East Hardin - 15.7

  - Bluegrass - 15.6

  - J.T. Alton - 16.1

  - North Middle - 14.3

  - West Hardin - 15.0

  - LaRue County Middle - 15.8

Reading

 - T.K. Stone - 15.2

  - East Hardin - 14.2

  - Bluegrass -14.0

  - J.T. Alton - 14.7

  - North Middle - 13.7

  - West Hardin - 13.9

  - LaRue County Middle - 14.8

Science

 - T.K. Stone - 16.8

  - East Hardin - 15.9

  - Bluegrass - 16.4

  - J. T. Alton - 16.7

  - North Middle - 16.2

  - West Hardin - 16.4

  - LaRue County Middle - 16.6

Composite

   - T.K. Stone - 15.7

   - East Hardin - 15.0

   - Bluegrass - 15.0

   - J.T. Alton - 15.5

   - North Middle - 14.4

   - West Hardin - 15.0

   - LaRue County Middle - 15.5

PLAN

English

   - Elizabethtown High School - 17.6

   - John Hardin High School - 14.9

   - North Hardin High School - 15.3

   - Central Hardin High School - 16.0

   - LaRue County High School - 16.9

Math

   - Elizabethtown High School - 18.1

   - John Hardin High School - 16.6

   - North Hardin High School - 16.2

   - Central Hardin High School - 17.4

   - LaRue County High School - 17.5

Reading

   - Elizabethtown High School - 18.1

   - John Hardin High School - 16.3

   - North Hardin High School - 16.3

   - Central Hardin High School - 17.0

   - LaRue County High School - 17.6

Science

   - Elizabethtown High School - 18.8

   - John Hardin High School - 17.4

   - North Hardin High School - 17.4

   - Central Hardin High School - 18.2

   - LaRue County High School - 17.7