October 31, 2013

Dear Grand Oak Parents;

Many of our parents that had children in grades 3-5 last year have been waiting patiently for the state End of Grade test information to be release. On November 7th these scores will be released and information will come home to parents shortly thereafter. The EOG tests are tests given to every 3rd through 5th grade student in the state each year (in May). Due to the adoption of the Common Core State Standards in 2010, North Carolina students are now required to meet a higher standard of proficiency on these tests and state tests had to be revised. Last year was the first time the students took these new assessments.

The rise in rigor is a good thing for education, but due to this, changes had to be made in the types of questions our state tests focused on. Rather than just memorizing information our students are being asked higher-level and critical thinking questions to better compete in the world we live in.

Since these changes were made in the 2012-13 test, we are expecting to see student scores drop (in some cases dramatically) and student proficiency levels may also be impacted. Comparing the new scores to what your child did in the past will also not be practical as you would be comparing “apples to oranges” as the tests have changed dramatically.

North Carolina is not alone in this transition to more rigorous standards. Remember that a drop in test scores does not mean that your child is not learning or progressing effectively or that your teachers did not do a good job last year. Just like in sports, we must continue to raise the bar for our students and they will eventually meet these new expectations with flying colors. The scores that students receive on their 2012-13 tests will not impact student grades or placement this year. These are baselines for the new assessments and the state’s accountability model.

If you have any questions about the 2012-13 tests you can visit the North Carolina Department of Instruction website at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/ or contact Mr. Giovanelli at 980-343-2063.

Respectfully,

Raymond Giovanelli

Principal