Carlynton scores above average on state testing

Students at Carlynton Junior-Senior High School are scoring above the state average when it comes to state tests, but regular attendance in two subgroupings has given the district a dubious asterisk mark.

Carlynton students in grades seven through 12 have scored above the state average on the 2017-18 PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) and Keystone exams. The academic success was achieved in English language arts, mathematics and science/biology.

The website www.futurereadypa.org profiles each school district in the state, highlighting academic achievement and growth, as well as regular attendance. At the top of Carlynton’s profile page is a box that contains “Additional Targeted Support and Improvement School.”

Because of a below average regular attendance, Carlynton administrators will need to write an improvement plan to address attendance issues. The plan is due to the school board by June 30.

Ed Mantich, district test coordinator and curriculum supervisor, said the two subgroups with attendance issues were students with disabilities and African-American students. Attendance for students with disabilities was at 58.06 percent. Attendance for African-American students was at 52.6 percent.

Overall, Carlynton’s average regular attendance was 67.8 percent, below the state average of 85.4 percent. The student population of those two subgroups each makes up approximately 15 percent. The junior-senior high school has an enrollment of 586 students.

School board members said they want a further breakdown of the numbers, as a student could be counted twice for the various subgroups.

Mantich said while the issue is with attendance, the academic achievement and academic growth expectations for the African-American students and students with disabilities is in line with the state average.

Overall, Carlynton students scored proficient or advance in ELA at 69.4 percent, above the state average of 63 percent. In mathematics, Carlynton was proficient or advanced at 45.7 percent, or 0.2 percent better than the state. In science/biology, Carlynton scored 68.9 percent proficient or advanced, with the state average at 64.3.

Mantich said officials are always working on improvement plans.

“It’s always a constant with achievement and growth. We are always going to try to increase our scores,” Mantich said.

Jim Spezialetti is a Tribune-Review contributor.