CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Students on Pacific bases continue to outpace the national average on standardized tests given in grades three to 11.
Overall, Department of Defense Dependents Schools students’ scores on the TerraNova Multiple Assessment tests given last spring remained substantially higher than the national average in all subject areas, according to the Department of Defense Education Activity.
DODDS students in schools in Japan, Okinawa, South Korea and Guam scored 10 to 25 points above the national average, according to statistics released by DODDS-Pacific.
Overall, students in DODDS worldwide scored in the 71st percentile in reading, meaning their scores were better than 71 percent of all other students taking the test. The reading score equaled last year’s percentile, as did the 72 percentile reached for language.
The worldwide DODDS math, science and social studies scores all hit the 75th percentile mark, an improvement of 1 percent over last year’s scores.
Nancy Bresell, director of DODDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam, said the results from the TerraNova Assessment “clearly demonstrate that students in the Pacific continue to score higher than the national average in all subject areas.”
About 14,500 students in the Pacific schools took the tests last spring, according to DODDS-Pacific.
“Each year, our students in the Pacific continue to outperform students attending some of the best school districts in the United States in all subject areas,” Bresell said. “The data provides our teachers and principals with valuable information that can be used to further improve our educational programs.”
Worldwide, DODDS students scored 20 percent or higher than the national average in all areas, according to the recently released test results.
The DODEA’s Community Strategic Plan has mandated that 75 percent of all students score at or above the national average by 2011.
“This year’s TerraNova results have us on the right path to achieve our objective,” said Janet Rope, DODEA’s administrator for system accountability and research.
“These results represent the success of our students but only tell part of the story,” Bresell said. “I wish to recognize our administrators, teachers, parents and military commands for their ongoing support and commitment to our schools and, most importantly, to the students who walk through our doors every day in search of new challenges and opportunities.”
