Third-graders taking the 2004 Colorado State Assessment Program reading test in Garfield County scored 65 percent proficient or advanced, based on total scores from Roaring Fork Re-1, Garfield

Re-2 and Garfield No. 16 school districts.

Statewide, 74 percent of third-graders reached proficient or advanced levels in reading (see story below).

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However, Judy Haptonstall, assistant superintendent at Re-1, cautioned against considering averages when determining how much progress each individual student has made in the past year.

“The state tabulates one report,” Haptonstall said Monday. Roaring Fork scored 65 percent proficient and advanced between all the district’s third-graders.

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“However, when you break out the data from each school, you can see that in so many areas, students advanced from last year, or at least didn’t lose any ground.”

Haptonstall said to truly understand what the CSAP scores mean, it takes a deeper look into what challenges schools, teachers and students are facing.

“There’s the general state report, and then, within each school and with each student, there is the humanistic report,” Haptonstall added.

“We’re pleased with the improvement we’ve seen,” said Garfield School District school board president Vicki VanEngelenburg. The district’s third-graders scored an overall 66 percent proficient and advanced on the reading tests.

“This is a concerted effort from our staff and administration based on the importance of instruction in the classroom. All the staff has been working so hard.”

The local districts cumulatively averaged 9 percentage points below the state’s average. But averages don’t tell the whole story.

For example, Basalt Elementary School’s test scores improved 7 percent from 2003’s scores, from 70 to 77 percent. And, students at Roy Moore Elementary School in Silt increased their proficiency from 79 percent to 98 percent.

But those kind of statistics don’t show up on total averages, which can make it difficult to determine how individual schools are faring.

“Clearly, we use CSAPs as a gauge, but they’re only one indicator,” explained Roaring Fork school board president Susan Hakanson. “They help us to see where we’re doing well, and where we have places to grow.”

Haptonstall said she is thrilled with the results, and is looking forward to receiving the rest of the CSAP scores when they’re released in August.

“Seeing these third-grade scores, I have more hope for the results of all the rest of the CSAP scores,” Haptonstall said. “So much work has gone into these scores by so many hard-working teachers and staff. You can see it in these scores.”

Contact Carrie Click: 945-8515, ext. 518

cclick@postindependent.com