Students Show Marked Improvement
By John Earp
At the March 9th meeting of the Jal Board of Education, Jal High School Principal Buddy Little noted marked improvement in the NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) test scores of mathematics and reading skills in 9th, 10th, and 11th graders this year. He noted that testing showed that every one of the 9th graders performed above the national average, with all students scoring at least “on grade level,” with many scoring above grade level. Little mentioned a new incentive system being offered for students in grades 6 through 11, with a $200 gift card being awarded for the most improved student, from one year to the next, in each grade level. Additionally, Little said the school was going to offer a $200 gift card for students who score highest in their grade on the testing, adding that this will encourage students who are already at the top and who have the smallest ability to improve to maintain their best efforts. Little said that Mr. Johnny Estrada, assistant principal at Jal Elementary School, had recently done a comparison with Jal students to all of New Mexico students, which correlated perfectly with the early testing recently done by Jal Schools. This indicates a significant improvement from years past, and is a credit to the leadership and teaching methods implemented in Jal Schools’ classrooms in the last several years.
When asked to comment on this improvement, Mr. Little responded, “Since stepping into the role of Jr./Sr. High School Principal here in Jal, we have implemented MAP Growth (MAPS) testing as a key tool to support our students and teachers. I’ve seen its value in previous districts, and it continues to be a strong, reliable way to measure academic growth throughout the school year. Our students are assessed three times annually—at the beginning, middle, and end of the year—allowing us to monitor progress in real time. One of the greatest advantages of MAPS is how closely the data aligns with the state assessments our students take each spring. Unlike state test results, which often arrive months later, MAPS provides immediate feedback we can act on right away. This timely data allows us, as school leaders, to make informed decisions about instruction, curriculum, and staffing to better meet the needs of our students. At the junior high level, we have also developed aligned math and reading curricula that focus directly on the skills and knowledge students are expected to master. In Jal, we are intentional in our approach—our instruction is purposeful, data-driven, and centered on helping every student grow and succeed.”