At last night's Board of Education Meeting (3/31/09) there were numerous factually incorrect statements made concerning accountability test scores at Hoboken High School. Whether these statements were purposely misleading or simply ill informed will be left for others to decide. What is clear is that the statements were factually incorrect. Misleading public discourse and doing so for political or personal gain (i.e. for a particular candidate, ticket, referendum, or economic, ideological gain) at the expense of students, teachers and/or administration of a school is a price we pay for open government- A price well worth paying but no less unfortunate. Here is a quick summary of the latest State of New Jersey accountability tests for Hoboken High School. -Dr. PetrosinoMarch 2008 HSPA (High School Statewide Assessment) scores for Hoboken High School:
General Education 88% passing in Language Arts Literacy (students who did not pass completed the SRA (Special Review Assessment) in Language Arts Literacy, therefore Hoboken High School has a 100% passing rate in Language Arts Literacy)
General Education 71% passing in Math (students who did not pass completed the SRA in math and all passed, thus Hoboken High School has a 100% passing rate in Mathematics)
Both percentages were above AYP (Adaquate Yearly Progress) expectations hence HHS made Annual Yearly Progress by NCLB standards.
As Superintendent Raslowsky pointed out at the Board of Education meeting, there are certainly improvements that can be made to test scores and no one is 100% satisfied with any particular school but the performance of Hoboken High School on State accountability tests meets or exceeds what the US Department of Education and the State of New Jersey's Education Department defines as adequate yearly progress.
Recall also that Hoboken High School was names the 2nd most improved High School in the State of New Jersey in August 2008 by NJ Monthly and received Bronze Award designation by US News and World Report this past Fall.
