Steamboat Pilot & Today

For the second straight year, more than 90 percent of the third-graders at Hayden Valley Elementary School who took the Colorado Student Assessment Program reading test read at an advanced or proficient level, according to results released last week.

The 2003 results show that 91 percent of the students are either advanced or proficient readers. Statewide, 74 percent of third-graders are advanced or proficient readers. Last year, 92 percent of Hayden's third-graders tested advanced or proficient.

"We're pleased," Hayden Valley Elementary School Principal Mike Luppes said. "You always like to improve, but (the scores) are fairly high. We're happy maintaining these scores."

Twenty-two third-graders took the test, according to Colorado Department of Education results. The scores of several third-graders who qualified for the alternative version of CSAP because of their significant special education needs were not included with the results.

Luppes, like administrators in other area school districts, said comparing one year's third-grade results to the next year's third-grade results is much less significant than comparing this year's third-grade results with next year's fourth-grade results.

"The significant number to look at is the same cohort group over a period of time," Luppes said.

That way, student achievement can be tracked over time, he said.

CSAP scores are only one tool by which to measure student performance, Lup-pes said.

"We need to remember that this is only one snapshot of where these kids are at," he said.

Third-graders, and other students, take numerous other assessments, Luppes said.

"There's a lot of indicators," he said. "You need to look at that whole body of evidence."

Luppes attributed the continued high scores of many of the school's third-graders to dedicated teachers and parents.

"We've had a lot of good parent support," Luppes said. "Also, our teachers have worked really hard to raise CSAP scores."

CSAP scores for other grade levels will be available in August.

-- To reach Brent Boyer call 871-4234

or e-mail bboyer@steamboatpilot.com