Connecticut Test Scores DOWN

Test Scores Decline Slightly
June 8, 2007
Hartford Courant
By ROBERT A. FRAHM, Courant Staff Writer

While students in most states made gains in reading and mathematics tests following the enactment of the federal No Child Left Behind Act five years ago, schoolchildren in Connecticut did not.

Connecticut was among only a handful of states where achievement test scores showed small declines on an independent nationwide study released earlier this week.

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"We have to heighten our expectations and really bear down to see what the potential reasons are," said Mark K. McQuillan, Connecticut's new education commissioner.

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McQuillan said it is difficult to link test score gains directly to the federal law.

"I don't know that you can make that claim," he said. "One could say it was simply the [extra] money as opposed to the testing strategy, but I do think expectations did rise because of the sanctions connected with the law.

"I think that's been a very positive thing. It has certainly shown where some of the problems are in Connecticut."


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