Schools

Nation No Match for Cherokee Students on ITBS

Cherokee County School District fifth- and eighth-grade students exceeded national averages in all subjects on the exam.

Students in the Cherokee County School District once again outpaced the national average on another standardized exam: the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

The district said on Wednesday its students exceeded the national average by double digits in every subject on the exam. 

The exam is given in October to students in grades fifth and eighth. The ITBS "identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses in subject areas monitors year-to-year growth and provides national comparisons for academic achievement," the district said. 

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ITBS scores are reported in percentiles, and results include a composite — or total — score and scores in the areas of reading, language arts, math, social studies, science and sources of information. 

The district's fifth-grade composite score clocks in at 68, which is 18 points higher than the national average. Its eighth-grade composite score sits at 66, 16 points higher than the national average.

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Here the average percentiles broken down by both grade levels on each sections. 

Fifth grade:

  • Reading: district average is 64, 14 percentile points above the national average.
  • Language arts: district average is 65, 15 percentile points above the national average.
  • Math: district average is 67, 17 percentile points above the national average.
  • Social studies: district average is 71, 21 percentile points above the national average.
  • Science: district average is 71, 21 percentile points above the national average.
  • Sources of information: district average is 68, 18 percentile points above the national average.

Eighth grade:

  • Reading: district average is 63, 13 percentile points above the national average.
  • Language arts: district average is 63, 13 percentile points above the national average.
  • Math: district average is 63, 13 percentile points above the national average.
  • Social studies: district average is 64, 14 percentile points above the national average.
  • Science: district average is 70, 20 percentile points above the national average.
  • Sources of information: district average is 66, 16 percentile points above the national average.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo praised the results, noting they show the district's elementary and middle school students "are competing above the national average academically, with continued achievement in all core subject areas."

"Our students, supported by our teachers, administrators, parents, business partners and volunteers, are establishing a strong academic foundation that will serve them well in their pursuits of higher education and career success," he added. 

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