Anchorage School District - Test Scores

Test Scores

The district releases test scores each fall in a comprehensive report called Profile of Performance. See Expect the Best is a condensed version of that 2,000 page document: it is put forward as an annual report to the community.

In 2008-09 test scores remained relatively flat. Language arts scores declined from 81.4 to 80.4 percent and math scores declined from 73.7 to 71.4 percent since last year. These scores follow three years of steady growth.

In order to make AYP (adequate yearly progress) each school must meet up to 31 specific targets that have been established by the state in which the district is located. Proficiency on state adopted measurements, test participation, attendance, and graduation rates are used to determine AYP for each school each year. 2008-09 school-wide results for the district’s 96 schools are as follows: • 96 percent met the test participating requirement. • 85 percent met the language arts requirement. • 89 percent met the math requirement. • 97 percent met the attendance/graduation requirement. Thirty nine ASD schools met every requirement for which they were accountable. Fifteen missed AYP by just one target; 42 schools missed by two or more targets. Complete coverage, including historical statistics, of federal AYP requirements is available on the district's website.

Of course, AYP proficiency in Alaska, is not equivalent to NAEP proficiency. In 2009, only some 27% of students in Alaska were proficient in Reading. For some reason, though Anchorage's population exceeded 250,000 NAEP did not include Anchorage in its review of Urban Districts.