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Elementary test scores low on both sides in Aliquippa, Clairton, Duquesne

Saturday, January 11, 2003

By Jane Elizabeth, Post-Gazette Education Writer

Teachers in three local school districts that have been cited for dismal student test scores also scored poorly on their own math and reading tests, according to a state report released yesterday.

	Graphic: Testing the teachers

Elementary teachers in the Aliquippa, Clairton and Duquesne school districts -- three of Pennsylvania's 12 low-performing school districts -- scored significantly below the state average in math on the controversial Professional Development Assistance Program tests.

Teachers at Duquesne Elementary School also scored below average on the reading tests.

The second round of the Professional Development Assistance Program tests were given late last year to public school teachers to assess their basic skills in math and reading.

On the plus side, teachers in three school districts in Allegheny County scored significantly higher in some categories than the rest of the state's teachers.

Teachers at Plum High School did particularly well in math, according to the test analysts, and teachers at Marzolf Elementary School in the Shaler Area School District scored significantly higher in reading.

The most sweeping success came in Mt. Lebanon, where teachers at five schools have made the best showing in the county so far, significantly beating the state average on reading tests at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Statewide, teachers in five districts were significantly above average on reading tests for the most recent round of testing; three were significantly below. In math, two were above and three were below.

Superintendents in Aliquippa and Clairton could not be reached for comment yesterday. Duquesne Superintendent JoAnne Wells said she had received a copy of the report just yesterday and couldn't comment until she discussed it with the school board and curriculum director.

The testing program was created by then-Gov. Tom Ridge in 2001. The Ridge administration said the test was designed to help districts determine what sort of professional development program teachers need. But teachers' unions have criticized the tests as poorly designed, improperly administered and fueled by politics.

The state is paying $1.5 million a year, for five years, to Educational Testing Services, which also administers the Scholastic Aptitude Test, to test the state's 118,000 teachers. Teachers in 125 districts, vo-tech schools and intermediate units took the tests in the fall; they were the second of five groups slated to take the tests.

The third round of testing has been scheduled for August. But Gov.-elect Ed Rendell has said he opposes the test and is expected to change or eliminate it.

Other Allegheny County school districts that participated in the most recent round of testing were Allegheny Valley, Chartiers Valley, Elizabeth Forward, Keystone Oaks, South Fayette and Woodland Hills.

Allegheny County districts that have not yet taken the tests are Bethel Park, Brentwood, Carlynton, Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Gateway, Hampton, McKeesport, Moon, North Allegheny, North Hills, Northgate, Penn Hills, Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley, South Allegheny, Steel Valley, Sto-Rox, West Allegheny, West Jefferson Hills and West Mifflin.

The tests also analyze teachers' scores based on the colleges and universities they attended. Colleges will be notified if their graduates scored significantly better or worse than average.

For instance, current elementary school teachers who graduated from California University of Pennsylvania between 1985 and 1993 and 1965 and 1974 scored significantly lower than the state average on this round of the Professional Development Assistance Program reading tests. Current high school teachers who graduated from California between 1965 and 1984 also scored significantly lower in reading.

Other area colleges and universities whose graduates had significantly lower scores in certain categories include Edinboro, Grove City, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Slippery Rock.

Earlier this week, a national report financed by the Pew Charitable Trusts criticized the nation's school districts for the tendency to put the most unqualified teachers in the worst-performing schools. Pennsylvania scored a D+ in state efforts to improve teacher quality in that report.

Full results of yesterday's report can be found at http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/cwp/view.asp?Q=78879&A=132