The Nebraska Department of Education released the Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS) results and the Accountability for a Quality Education System Today and Tomorrow, or AQuESTT classifications on Nov. 22, 2023. That’s a mouthful, and to put it in layman’s terms, both reports provide insight into how students are performing academically on Nebraska’s state standards.

Callaway Elementary Principal Brittany Jesseph provided the results of that report for Callaway Public School at the December school board meeting, and outlined areas of strength and areas that need improvement within the district. NSCAS English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and science are rigorous assessments with high expectations for postsecondary readiness. NSCAS ELA and mathematics are given in grades three through eight. NSCAS science assessments are given in fifth and eighth grades and Nebraska juniors take the ACT assessment.

This year the NDE had the opportunity to set new cut scores, the scores that determine levels of proficiency. This happens anytime there is a new assessment or a significant change in an existing assessment. The English Language Arts assessment was new for 2022.

The results presented in the report are from NSCAS and ACT tests that were given in the spring of 2022.

“Our goal is to be at or above the benchmark score, and we would like to be at or above the state average,” Jesseph explained. “Students moving in and out can greatly influence data in a smaller district in a negative and/or positive way. No student scores are exempt from this data.”

Jesseph was pleased to share that Callaway students had met that goal across the board on their NSCAS testing, scoring at or above both the benchmark and state averages in nearly all areas. In math, last year’s third, fifth, and eighth graders all scored

cont. PAGE 3 - Assessment above benchmark and state averages. The fourth grade was above benchmark and slightly below the state average, sixth grade was above benchmark and even with the state, while last year’s sixth grade was slightly below both.

The scores in English Language Arts were very similar, with all grades except sixth testing at or above both the benchmark and state averages. As mentioned above, only fifth and eighth grade students are tested in science, and Callaway’s students again performed well. The fifth grade class scored more than 20 points above benchmark and nearly 10 points above the state average.

When looking at the math and ELA non-proficient percentage, Jesseph stated, “The goal is to see a decrease each year, the lower the number the better.” Comparing the percentage of students in grades three through eight, and 11th, who were non-proficient in those two subject areas over the past three years, Jesseph shared that in 2020-21, 54.95% were non-proficient. In 2021-22 that dropped to 48.84% and in 202223, to 44.59%. The sharpest decline in non-proficiency was at the 7-8th grade level, where students went from 53.33% to 48% to 30.56% in the past three years.

Along with NSCAS scores, the report also includes ACT results for last year’s CHS juniors. “The benchmark for junior year of ACT is 18, while the College and Career Ready benchmark for senior year is 22,” said Jesseph. This is where the district saw some less-than-impressive numbers.

Jesseph explained that the ACT is given to juniors to measure the high probability of success in college. She also said that the results Callaway is seeing are not unlike those many other districts are experiencing. “This year the lowest ACT scores have been seen nationwide in 30 years, and marks the sixth consecutive year of decline in average scores,” Jesseph shared.

In 2017-18, the average ACT scores for the district in ELA were 19.4, compared to 15.4 in 2022-23. The average district math score in 2017-18 was 20.7, while last year’s average was 17.6, and in science, the average score declined from 22.1 to 18.3. Even more alarming are the figures for proficiency on the state ACT test. The 2021-22 CHS junior class scored 51% proficient in ELA, while the 2022-23 class dropped to 14% proficient. Math proficiency dropped from 50% to 35%, and science went from 64% to 50% over the course of a year.

“This class whose scores we are looking at began their high school careers during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Jesseph reminded the board. “Nationally only 21% of students met all four benchmarks.”

In addition to assessment results, Nebraska released accountability ratings. State and federal law require the NDE to annually classify and designate schools to provide signals for specific supports. Nebraska’s system, AQuESTT – annually classifies schools and districts as Excellent, Great, Good, and Needs Support to Improve.

As a district, CPS was rated as Excellent in 2022-23 up from the Good rating they received the previous year. Elementary was rated Great, middle school Excellent, and high school Needs Improvement.

Jesseph did share with the board that there are several celebrations from the reports as well. “We’ve seen reductions in absenteeism, a growth trend in the reduction in non-proficient test scores, and district, middle, and elementary at the highest score ever,” she said.

Now that the results have been released, what’s next for CPS? “We will continue to work on improving absenteeism by building relationships with students and families, and continue to do the great things we are doing!,” said Jesseph. Next steps include implementing an elementary standards- based grading system, as well as implementing an ACT prep program after Christmas break. The district will also be adding a writing and reading program in the high school to help target and improve scores.

More information on assessment and accountability results can be found on the Nebraska Education Profile, nep.education.ne.gov.