By Mia Light

The state Department of Education makes a wealth of data available to public school officials that can be used to track student achievement and zero in on specific areas where each struggles with proficiency.

At a retreat meeting Tuesday evening, Hazleton Area School District administrators shared data with the board of education and explained how the information is being used to chart a course to improve student test scores.

"The point of tonight is to show the board how the district is using data to improve student proficiency," district data coach Rick Barletta said. "By using this data, we can see how close we are (to state proficiency benchmarks) and how we can get over the hump."

A portion of the data is analyzed through PVAAS, the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System - a statistical method of measuring the influence of a school program on the academic growth of each individual student (or groups of students) over time.

The system uses prior student test scores to estimate the student's likely outcome in an average school environment. It then compares actual achievement to predicted values.

Using a hypothetical fifth-grade student named Sarah, Deputy Superintendent Francis X. Antonelli used a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate how PVAAS analyzes Sarah's previous scores on specific math and reading tests to predict the probability of her proficiency on future tests.

If the data shows Sarah has a 65.8 percent probability of proficiency in math tests, educators can evaluate which math concepts give Sarah the most trouble and devise individualized teaching strategies tailored to help her over the top.

Barletta said students such as Sarah are called "bubble kids" because their scores are going to determine whether the district meets Adequate Yearly Progress standards under the federal No Child Left Behind education law.

Some say such score-focused instruction is "teaching to the test." But Antonelli disagrees.

"I don't buy that," he said.

"When we taught to the textbook, we taught what the author of that book felt was important. Now, we are teaching to what the state says is important for our students to be proficient in."

District Superintendent Samuel Marolo said it's an effort to ensure district curriculum is aligned with state standards.

"That is why we are using this data to focus on those areas to bring proficiency up," Marolo said.

Once the data is analyzed to identify areas where student scores are falling, the district utilizes intervention programs such as Read 180 and Study Island to help bolster student proficiency.

The Scholastic company's Read 180 system is an intensive reading intervention program that incorporates software, print and teacher training to bring struggling readers in grades four through 12 up to proficient levels.

For illiterate students, the district uses Scholastic's System 44, a foundational reading and phonics program designed for the most challenged readers in grades three through 12.

The district also relies on Archipelago Learning's Study Island, a web-based program with practice questions in math, reading, writing, science and social studies, all of which are aligned to state academic content standards.

In addition, when data shows falling student scores, Antonelli said root causes are explored - "Is it the curriculum? Is it the instruction?"

The concentrated efforts are paying off, Antonelli said.

The data shows student scores in reading and math, district-wide, have increased substantially since 2003.

According to the data, 53.8 percent of district students achieved math scores at grade level or above in 2003. By 2010, 71.7 percent of the students were performing at or above grade level.

In 2003, 60.4 percent of the student population was reading at or above grade level. By 2010, the rate increased to 71.1 percent.

"The percentage of students scoring on grade level has gone up. The percentage of students scoring below basic has gone down," Antonelli said.

The educators were also presented with data on the effectiveness of specific teaching programs, such as Read 180.

According to the data, 623 students across eight district school buildings have been using the Read 180 program this year.

An analysis of in-house test scores and other data indicates that after one-half year of using the program, 141 of the students (23 percent) have achieved reading growth equivalent to two or more grade levels, and 281 students (45 percent) achieved at least one year's worth of growth.

Antonelli said there is a direct correlation between increases in achievement and increases in state education funding over the last eight years.

"These (test score) increases are all connected to state education funding and we all know, the state budget will be announced March 8 and it doesn't look rosy," Antonelli said.

Marolo said the district is developing new approaches to classroom instruction that can help keep student scores on an upward trajectory regardless of state funding levels.

"It really boils down to the instructor in the classroom," Marolo said. "Even if the funding goes away, we are equipping our instructors with proven methods to improve student scores and increase proficiency."

The data used in the retreat presentations is available on the district website (www.ha sdk12.org) under "initiatives."