At our most recent parent meeting, it was asked if the school conducts standardized testing and if the results are published. Yes and no, was my response. Yes, all 3rd grade and higher students take a norm-referenced achievement test that helps measure math, reading, and language skills on a yearly basis - typically in mid-April. The results of these assessments are given to a student's parents with their last progress report of the school year, but they are not publicly shared.
We have never publicly reported these scores because we have always viewed the standardized test as a tool in guiding instruction, not as a measure of a student's entire educational experience at Bhaktivedanta Academy. A once per year multiple choice exam can only tell so much about how a particular student is doing. A full picture of a students progress is developed over time with continual formal and informal assessment and most importantly, the careful observation of their teacher.
With the above disclaimer in mind, below are the school-wide results of our 2010-11 BASI norm-referenced test given to students in grades 3-6. Values are an average for all students who participated without requiring accommodation (8 students in total).
| Subtest | %ile | +/- Grade Level |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | 94.1 | +4.7 |
| Reading Comprehension | 82.0 | +4.3 |
| Spelling | 84.1 | +4.2 |
| Language Mechanics | 85.8 | +4.0 |
| Math Computation | 85.1 | +3.9 |
| Math Application | 86.0 | +5.5 |
%ile = Percentile rank compared to a national sample of students at the same grade. For example, on average, our students scored equal or higher then 94.1% of their grade level peers in a national comparison group in the area of vocabulary.
+/- GE = Number of grade levels above or below the student's grade at the time they participated in the exam. For example, on average, our students demonstrated proficiency 3.8 grade levels higher than what is expected at their grade in the area of vocabulary.
Like I mentioned, this is just a snapshot of data covering a portion of our entire educational program. There are no standardized tests to measure a child's devotion to God, love of learning, depth of knowledge, and strength of character, which along with academics are all part of a student's experience at Bhaktivedanta Academy.
I hope you find this data helpful. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.
Yours in service,
Visvambhara das
Director
Si usted tiene alguna pregunta y necesita ayuda en español, puede solicitarla llamando al 386-462-2886 (oficina).