FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, January 14, 2000 BLACK STUDENTS MAKE SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN FAIRFAX COUNTY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES

The test scores for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) divisionwide Stanford Achievement Test Ninth Edition (Stanford 9 TA) show that the school system is closing the gap between minority and White student achievement.

The majority of scores for FCPS students were at or above the 70th percentile. The largest gains in performance from last year were made in mathematics procedures and science. Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Daniel Domenech said, "I am very happy with the level of achievement of our students on this test. I am particularly pleased that our Black students made the most significant gains with increases of five or more percentile points in seven testing areas."

Black students scored at or above the 50th percentile on six of the 30 tests reported. Last year, Black students scored at or above the 50th percentile on only three of the 30 tests. The Black population showed the greatest aggregate gain with a total increase of 82 points over the 30 tests. Asians increased 60 points, Whites 8, and Hispanics 7.

As a group, FCPS students performed well above the 50th percentile, or national average, in all areas and grades tested. Average percentile scores on particular tests ranged from a low of 57 to a high of 84.

The Stanford 9 TA is a nationally normed achievement test. It was administered to FCPS students in grades 4, 6, and 9 in October 1999. The Stanford 9 TA is required by the Virginia Department of Education as part of the Virginia State Assessment program. The results of this test help to guide instructional decision making at the school, area, and county level. In addition, student performance on this assessment is an integral part of the Schoolwide Achievement Index, the goal-setting method used by FCPS to encourage improvement at the school level.

Since last year's Stanford 9 TA was scored using the same norming group as was used for this year's test, it is possible to make valid comparisons between percentile scores from those two years. It is not valid, however, to make comparisons between percentile scores from the 1996-1997 administration and either the 1998-1999 or the 1999-2000 administration. Scores for individual schools will be available on the FCPS web site in the near future.

The following is a summary of FCPS Stanford 9 TA results (see table):

• Grade 4 average scores for the total group ranged from the 57th percentile in reading vocabulary to the 79th percentile in science.
• Grade 6 average scores for the total group ranged from the 66th percentile in language to the 84th percentile for math problem solving.
• Grade 9 average scores for the total group ranged from the 63rd percentile in language to the 82nd percentile in science.
• The percentage of students above the national average varies from 67 percent in fourth grade total reading to 82 percent in ninth grade total science.

Results by ethnic group (see table):

• Asian and White populations scored at or above the 50th percentile on all tests at all grade levels.
• Black students scored at or above the 50th percentile on six of the 30 tests reported. Last year, Black students scored at or above the 50th percentile on three of the 30 tests.
• The total population showed an aggregate gain of 25 percentile points.
• The Black population showed the most significant gains with increases of five or more percentile points in seven testing areas.
• The Black population showed the greatest aggregate gain with a total increase of 82 percentile points. Asians increased 60, Whites 8, and Hispanics 7 percentile points.
• Scores at all grade levels and all tests increased or remained the same when compared to last year for Asians and for Blacks with the exception of social science for grade 9.

Table: Average Scores by Ethnicity

Last update: May 30, 2000
Curator: Jill Kurtz -- jill.kurtz@fcps.edu