By MADDY VITALE
The New Jersey Department of Education released the state’s School Performance Reports this week for the 2022-2023 school year, providing some key education information and data for school districts and schools.
So how well did the nearly 2,000-student Ocean City School District perform?
Above average at the High School and Primary School, but
weaker results at the Intermediate School.
Interim Schools Superintendent Terry Crowley said in an interview Friday that the district is addressing weaknesses, but also pointed to strengths in the district's scores.
“The high school looks pretty good," Crowley said, but noting that the math score was just below the average when factoring in the other schools statewide.
He pointed out that some of the scores were lower than what the district would like, but that the teachers are working with the students to improve those areas.
"There is always room for improvement, and we will work on the areas that we need to," Crowley said.
The state results released Wednesday online detail “summative ratings,” which reflect how well schools did compared to others in the state. The 100th percentile is the highest possible rating.
“Summative scores” go from 0-100 and show how well a school performed based on test scores, academic growth and other factors, according to a news release from the state Department of Education.
In addition, the ratings are color-coded on a red to blue scale. A darker red means a lower rating and a darker blue means a higher rating, according to the release.
Ocean City High School received a summative rating of 73.61 and a summative score of 66.59. The high school scores were highlighted in light blue, indicating good scores.
The Ocean City Intermediate School received a summative rating of 56.39 and a summative score of 55.30. Both figures were listed in gray.
The Primary School is one of three schools that make up the district.
The Ocean City Primary School received an N/A for a summative rating. According to the state release, schools that did not submit one or more data points received a modified summative score. The Primary School’s summative score was a 74.02.
Crowley noted that the COVID-19 pandemic could have impacted some of the scores.
“We can look back at the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. But we are just beyond that," he said. "We have to focus on the math scores. It is a process and, unfortunately, it doesn’t happen overnight."
He explained that the district teachers are working to address the areas that received lower scores, including the math at the high school.
“The teachers are looking at the strengths and weaknesses and putting together instruction accordingly,” Crowley added.
And while test scores are important, they aren’t everything when looking at the students, he said.
“It gives you an objective measure. Certainly, the scores are important indicators, but there are a whole lot of other factors,” Crowley pointed out. “It is not the only one to consider. There is so much more to education than test scores.”
New Jersey Acting Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer said in the news release that the state's School Performance Reports "provide communities with a starting point for discussion, and they can also be a valuable tool for school leaders to identify successes and areas for improvement."
There are other important factors when looking at students' achievements and growth, he said.
"Our educators are particularly interested in the student growth data because when focusing on academic growth, rather than solely test scores, we get a better understanding of how well our students are progressing and opportunities for improvement” Dehmer said in the release.
The Intermediate School scores were lower than the other schools in the district.
The 2022-2023 School Performance Reports include all data categories that were reported prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, including all assessment, student growth, and accountability data.
The various reports contain a variety of information such as data regarding student demographics; participation and performance on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests; course participation including Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual enrollment courses; chronic absenteeism; discipline data; staff information; graduation rates; and district narratives, according to the state Department of Education news release.
The 2022-2023 reports also include changes in response to updated state requirements and stakeholder feedback as follows:
- Expanded computer science course participation data showing participation for all grades kindergarten through grade 12.
- New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment (NJGPA) results for 2022-2023 11th graders.
- Results from the fall 2023 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) accountability process.
The School Performance Reports and other supporting documents can be accessed on the NJDOE’s School at https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/
