Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs eighth-graders not only surpassed state averages on Colorado Student Assessment Program tests in mathematics and science, they also ranked 27th in the state in mathematics and 62nd in science. Statewide, 387 public and charter schools administered the CSAP tests.
"We are in there with the best," Steamboat Springs Middle School principal Sandy Hall said.
Relative to other Colorado eighth-graders, Steamboat's students scored in top 7 percent in math and in the top 16 percent in science.
"We're pleased with how we did compared to the rest of the state," Hall said.
Indeed, state Education Commissioner Bill Moloney called the statewide scores "disappointing."
About two-thirds of the state's eighth-graders failed to score proficient marks on the math tests, and more than half of students statewide failed to score proficient in science.
Moloney personally congratulated Hall, who was invited to a Wednesday press conference in Denver in which the scores were released.
Regardless of how other students across the state perform, Hall said the local success rate is important.
"If you look at the big picture, and remember that this is the first time these students have taken the math and science tests, and remember that 'proficient' is a very high standard, we're well along our way to getting our students where we need them to be," she said. "That doesn't say our job is finished, by any means. But we're doing well, which gives us great optimism and absolute confidence that we can do what we need to do."
Fifty-five percent of Steamboat's eighth-graders' math skills were rated proficient or advanced by the test; 62 percent were determined to have proficient or advanced science skills.
RE-2 district staff and administrators said it is important for parents to know where Steamboat stands in relation to the rest of the state, and they have also stated that scores will improve in the future.
Hall credits the students themselves as well as the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade teachers.
"It takes really great teachers to do this well," she said.
Hall was joined by state education officials as well as representatives from Boulder Valley, Poudre, Fountain and East Grand school districts, all of whom performed well on the tests, at the press conference in Denver.

To reach Bonnie Nadzam call 871-4205 or e-mail bnadzam@amigo.net