By Maggie Blackwell
mblackwell@salisburypost.com
The Rowan Salisbury School System fell short of state averages on recently released “report cards” showing how students did on reading and math tests. But the system fared better in other areas, such as the number of highly qualified teachers and school safety.
Forty-eight percent of students in grades three through eight scored at or above grade level in reading; 61 percent scored as well in math.
Across the state, 55 percent of third- through eighth-graders scored at or above grade level in reading, while 70 percent did so in math.
Parents will receive report cards showing the information next week, when each school will send the information home with students. Packets will show performance for individual schools and for the school system.
The data, commonly referred to as the state “report card,” gives other information about the district as compared to the state. This information helps give a picture of the conditions under which children are taught. Conditions can affect scores.
In most cases, Rowan-Salisbury meets or exceeds the state average on the number of fully licensed teachers and number of National Board-certified teachers it employs, school size and school safety. The system also stacks up well in the number of highly qualified teachers, the ratio of students to computers, computers connected to the internet and the teacher turnover rate.
Kannapolis City Schools showed similar test results, with 45 percent of students in grades three through eight scoring at or above grade level in reading and 60 percent in math.
To access detailed information, visit www.ncreportcards.org/src.