RPS students show minimal progress with math, reading scores

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond public school students in the third to eighth grades continue to struggle with reading comprehension and with understanding math concepts, according to results from the state-mandated Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA).

Seven months after the current school year started, students tested in the fall and on a follow-up winter test showed minimal progress, according a report provided to the School Board at the April 10 meeting.

In September, the 7,383 students in those six grades who took the VGA math assessment could correctly answer only 38 percent of the questions, with 100 percent being the best. In the February followup math assessment, the 7,337 students tested correctly answered 41 percent of the questions.

On the fall reading assessment, the 8,839 students tested in those grades could correctly answer only 40 percent of the questions; in the follow-up winter test, the 8,721 students tested correctly answered only 43 percent of the reading questions.

In other words, there was little change.

The VGA is drawn from the state Standards of Learning (SOLs), which determine a learning program for each grade and lay out specific items that should be mastered in reading and math at each grade level.

Each student takes a test based on the standards for their grade.

The General Assembly directed the Virginia Department of Education to create the assessment program to help track student progress in those crucial subjects. This is the second year for the VGA assessment.

“My heart is heavy,” said School Board Vice Chair Cheryl Burke, 7th District, after reviewing what she described as disappointing results. The report provided a detailed look at the problem areas for students in each grade. For example, in the winter test, third graders correctly answered only 36 percent of questions about measuring length and 49 percent of the questions related to telling time to the minute.

On the follow-up assessment, fourth graders could answer only 26 percent of questions related to solving addition and subtraction problems involving decimals while 8th graders could answer only 36 percent of reading questions related to the difference between fact and opinion and only 39 percent of questions related to identifying the main idea of a reading selection.

Results varied by school and there were standards where winter scores increased over fall scores, sometimes by double digits. Superintendent Jason Kamras urged the board to focus more on that aspect of the report.

Jonathan Young, 4th District, though, noted that some gains were to be expected with students in the classroom. But he, like other members, expressed the view that far greater progress had been anticipated.

The results were all the more of a letdown given the resources that the school system has devoted to boosting learning.

More than 50 reading and math coaches are working with teachers, and more than 80 tutors work directly with students struggling with reading or math or both, the administration noted, and computer programs have been purchased to assist the process.

But at this point, based on the results, nothing appears to have helped put the large majority students back on track in regard to the state standards of learning.

It is unclear whether the VGA results stem from learning loss due to the pandemic, poorly designed state and local curricula or a reduced belief among parents and children about the importance of education and learning.

What is clear to the School Board is that the VGA results do not bode well for strong results on the upcoming required SOL tests of student knowledge in specific subjects.

“The VGA is an absolute predictor,” Mr. Young said.