DPS Students Demonstrate Academic Skills On Assessment Tests

In recent years, some have criticized statewide and national assessment tests given to

measure the performance of our public schools.  We have never understood this fear of what amounts to a measuring stick to ensure that taxpayers are getting their money's worth -- and that our kids are actually learning in the classroom.

Fortunately, results from Nebraska's most recent student achievement test indicate Dorchester Public School students and faculty are focused on learning and on outperforming their peers.

• According to information from DPS administration, since 2009, Dorchester students have shown an increase in the percentage of students who've demonstrated proficiency on the statewide reading assessment, up from 68% to 83%.  

• Since 2010, DPS student proficiency in math has grown from 74% to 77%, while proficiency in science has average 80%.

• Dorchester's current ACT test scores (used for college admittance) show DHS students have outperformed their Nebraska peers for each subject category on the ACT assessment.  The average composite score for Dorchester last school year was 24.2; compare this to the state average of 21.7.

That's real progress being made in the classrooms of DPS -- even though let's not forget Dorchester has traditionally outperformed many area schools.  Congratulations, Longhorn students and teachers.