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Ballard Middle Students Post Gains in Explore Test

Ballard Middle Students Post Gains in Explore Test
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By Julie Thomas, Ballard County Schools
Oct. 20, 2014 | LA CENTER, KY
By Julie Thomas, Ballard County Schools Oct. 20, 2014 | 04:58 PM | LA CENTER, KY
Students at Ballard County Middle School made the highest scores ever recorded there for the recent eighth-grade Explore test. They raised scores in every category by at least one full point.

The test, produced by the same company as the ACT taken by college-bound juniors and seniors, sets benchmarks in every subject to see if students are on pace to be ready for post-secondary school. All BCMS eighth-graders took the test, and they showed a 1.1-point rise in English, a 1.2-point rise in math, a 1-point rise in reading, and a 2-point rise in science.

On average, they scored higher than college-ready benchmarks in English (BCMS 15.8, BM 13) and science (BCMS 18.5, BM 18), but fell just a bit short in math (BCMS 16.7, BM 17) and reading (BCMS 15.4, BM 16). Students also bested the national average in every category (English national, 14.7; math, 15.5; reading 14.6; science, 16.6; and composite, BCMS 16.7, national 15.5). Those scores were the highest ever on the Explore at BCMS in English, math and science, and the second-highest in reading, said interim principal Amber Parker.

75 percent of the 111 students taking this year’s test met the English benchmark, 51 percent met the mark in math, 42 percent in reading, and 55 percent in science. Those scores showed gains over last year at BCMS by 9 points in English, 13 in math, 11 in reading and 22 in science.

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