07-03-2025
OKCPS students double projected reading scores
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Student learning is growing at Oklahoma City Public Schools. New data shows that over 5,000 OKCPS students doubled their projected reading growth after teachers looked at the results of an exam at the beginning of the school year.
Improving reading skills throughout the district is a goal at OKCPS. This is the third year students have taken a test with the Northwest Evaluation Association. The test is given at schools that want to use it Nationwide.
Now, OKCPS has the data to see the results of improved teaching methods throughout the district.
'When the students take it at the beginning of the year in August, September, we'll get a result of where their achievement level is and then they will have a projected growth goal that is based on national norms,' said Jason Galloway, the Chief of Staff at OKCPS.
Students then re-take the test in the winter to see how they improved since the first time.
One of the district's success stories highlights a student at Bodine Elementary who was predicted to grow 10 points on the reading scale. Instead, that student's reading improvement doubled.
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'At the beginning of the year were performing at the 20th percentile nationally in reading. And now at the middle of the year, at the 52nd percentile,' said Laura McGee, the Senior Executive Director of Elementary Schools and Leadership.
Teachers at OKCPS focus on the 'science of reading' to teach students. Which means students learning to read will break down words and then learn to comprehend them.
'Nationally we're seeing a shift back to an emphasis on phonemic awareness and phonics instruction to ensure our students can learn to read at a high level,' said McGee.
As students continue to learn in the classroom, leaders at OKCPS said the assessment test is crucial to analyzing student growth.
'So it gives us views of how they're doing, both in student growth and how they're doing in achievement as compared to their peers across the country in whatever grade level they're in or whatever subject level we're looking at,' said Galloway.
OKCPS staff said in addition to seeing how students improve in the classroom with reading, it also helps predict how they would perform on the Oklahoma State Assessment.
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