Winsted CMT results are in

WINSTED — It was generally good news as the Board of Education reviewed district results for the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMT) for school year 2010-11 during a special meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 16.The CMT is a statewide test that is given annually to students in grades three through eight.The tests examine the competency of students in the academic areas of mathematics, reading and writing.Fifth- and eighth-grade students are given an additional test in science.The CMT results for 2010-11 show that the percentage of students scoring at or above the proficient level in 10 different categories increased from school year 2009-10.In the third grade, 86.7 percent of students scored at or above proficient for math, which is a 2.6 percent improvement over 2009-10.In the reading test, 80 percent of the third-grade class scored at or above proficient, a 6.2 percent improvement.In the fourth grade, 69.3 percent of students scored at or above proficient levels in the reading test, a 9.7 percent increase.In the fifth grade, increases in proficiency levels were shown in two categories. In math, 83 percent scored at or above proficient levels, up 6.4 percent. In writing, 92.2 percent scored at or above proficient, marking a 12 percent improvement.The sixth-grade class saw increases in proficiency levels in all three test areas. In math, 83.6 percent scored at or above proficient levels, up 3 percent. In reading, 86 percent scored at or above proficient, up .6 percent. In writing, 75.2 percent scored at or above proficient, which is an 11.4 percent improvement.There was some disappointing news in the results, as some of the grades showed a loss in proficiency levels from the previous school year. Eighth-graders saw a 2.6 percent decrease in proficiency in math to 85.3 percent and a 4.7 percent decrease in reading, to 78.6 percent proficient.In seventh-grade math, students dropped 4.4 points to 78.8 proficient. In the fourth grade, students dropped 5.5 points to 77.5 percent proficient in writing.Superintendent of Schools Tom Danehy said the test results were good, overall.“These results are a testament to teachers and administrators of their fine work,” Danehy said. “They have brought students to the [levels] where they should be.”