For Immediate Release
July 15, 2003

Third Grade Reading Scores Up, Especially Among Minorities

Blacks and Asians Each Show 5 Year Gain of 100%

Madison students scored higher on the 2003 Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test and African American and Asian students have continued remarkable improvement, showing gains from five years ago of at least 100 percent.

The percentage of Madison third grade students scoring in the two highest categories - proficient or advanced - increased to 78%, which is an increase of 7% from last year and 19% from five years ago (see chart below).

These improvements occur while the number of students tested increased to a record 93%, up from 83% in 1997-98 (chart below). Scores would be expected to decline when greater proportions of students are tested. Students are only excluded from the test due to English proficiency limitations and disabling cognitive conditions.

The most significant result is the continued improvement in reading proficiency among Madison's minority students. Among blacks, 62% of this year's third graders scored proficient or higher - an increase of 12% over last year and a 100% relative increase over the 31% who scored the same in 1997-98, the first year of the current scoring for this test (chart below).

Among Asian students, 76% scored proficient or higher - a 9% increase from a year ago and a relative gain of 111% over the 36% at the same levels five years ago. For Hispanic students, 56% are proficient or advanced this year, up 6% from last year and a relative gain of 40% compared to the score five years ago (charts below).

"These test results are tremendously exciting," said Superintendent Art Rainwater. "We are making great progress for all of our students, especially among minority readers, but we still have a long way to go."

Rainwater cited four major reasons why the results on this statewide test are up, especially in comparison to five years ago:

• Highly qualified and well trained teachers centered around a balanced literacy approach
• Smaller class sizes from kindergarten through third grade.
• Strong school-based leadership for literacy in each elementary school
• Consistent focus of the school district on elementary reading, and a commitment of support from the Madison community through the outstanding effort of hundreds of volunteer tutors in the Schools of Hope initiative. One of three academic priorities established by the Board of Education five years ago is that all third grade students will read to their grade level or above.

The 2002-03 class of third grade students is the first cohort to experience at least three years of all four factors listed above.

"These results would not be taking place without the commitment of our outstanding staff and the hundreds of reading tutors," said Rainwater. "The progress we've made in the last five years gives us real encouragement that we can ultimately be successful."

The third grade reading test is a critical indicator for future student success. "That more students are now reading at the higher testing levels plays itself out very well in all kinds of future achievement," said Rainwater.

In the Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test, administered to third graders statewide in March, students are given passages to read, then multiple choice and short answer questions measuring reading comprehension.

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Madison Metropolitan School District

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Last Modified: 2003-07-15
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