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SALT LAKE CITY — Results from the first set of year-end school testing known as SAGE don't look great.
The Utah State Office of Education released the Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence results Monday. The test measures proficiency in English language arts, math and science.
In language arts, Utah's students averaged a 41-percent proficiency rate. In science, the proficiency rate was 43 percent. And math plunged to a 38-percent proficiency rate.
Despite the seemingly low numbers, the state director of assessment and accountability said these scores are a starting point for anticipated changes.
The initial round of SAGE exams was given to students last spring and focused on how prepared a student is to go to college or enter the workforce. Some say the results indicate the majority of Utah students in third through 11th grade aren't ready for the future.
However, educators point out that SAGE is a completely different way of statewide testing than was previously practiced. Officials said new tests more closely match the Common Core standards on a federal level.
In a news release, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joel Coleman cautioned against comparisons.
"There will be those who will look at these scores and compare them to last year's results. They aren't comparable," he said.
"This is a new era. The Utah State Board of Education increased the rigor and expectations in math and language arts, and the new computer-adaptive tests more precisely measure student performance than did the old fill-in-the-bubble tests.
There will be those who will look at these scores and compare them to last year's results. They aren't comparable.
–Joel Coleman
"Our new standard is ‘on track for college and careers;' it is no longer ‘has mastered course content,'" he added.
The Salt Lake City School District agreed that SAGE results should not be compared to previous test scores, and said better results are anticipated in the future.
"Schools and teachers are working diligently to prepare students to meet the new rigorous requirements," the district said in a letter to parents.
Results can be reviewed at the Utah State Office of Education site.
Contributing:Paul Nelson
